ABILENE – No. 12 Midwestern State scored four runs in the top of the 10th inning Tuesday to rally for a 14-10 win, completing a doubleheader sweep of ACU in collegiate softball action at Wells Field.
The Mustangs won the first game, 9-1, in five innings and then took the second game, running their winning streak to eight games and pushing their overall record to 17-1. ACU, meanwhile, falls to 8-8 and will be back in action Saturday in San Antonio against St. Mary's and Sunday in Austin against St. Edward's.
The Wildcats had a chance to win the second game, rallying for five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 9-8 lead.
Shelby Hall then blanked the Mustangs in the top of the sixth, setting up the fateful top of the seventh.
The first two Mustangs of the inning grounded out, and it appeared Nikki Duff would ground out to end the game. But her ground ball skipped past ACU second baseman
Sarah Martinez to put the game-tying run on base.
Courtney Bingham then singled to put runners at first and second. But then Kim Jerrick shot a ground ball to shortstop and it appeared the Wildcats would be able to get out of the inning unscathed and take the win.
But the ball got past
Ashley Calles and Duff scored the game-tying run. Each team scored a run in the eighth and both went scoreless in the ninth inning.
Mallory Mooney singled to center drive in the go-ahead run, and she was followed by Carey Campbell, who drove in two runs to make it 13-10, and that was the ballgame.
In the opener, Brittney Tanner was absolutely dominant in the circle for the Mustangs, hurling five innings and giving up just one run on one hit while striking out eight Wildcats.
Tanner, in fact, came within one pitch of a perfect game, but her 3-2 pitch to Valentina Nabayan was sent deep over the fence in right field for a home run and ACU's only run – and baserunner – of the game.
