PORTALES, N.M. – The ACU Wildcats pounded out 21 hits and took advantage of eight Eastern New Mexico errors Friday afternoon to take a 22-11 win over the Zias in Lone Star Conference South Division softball action at Zia Field.
The win pushes the Wildcats to 15-13 overall and 1-0 in the LSC South, while the Zias fall to 5-16 and 0-1. ACU and ENMU will wrap up the series with a Saturday doubleheader.
ACU leadoff hitter Missy Mendoza and second baseman
Megan Brigance each went 3 for 6 with four RBI at the plate, while third baseman Valentina Nabayan was 4 for 6 with two RBI. Nabayan blasted her seventh home run of the season, while Brigance cranked her fourth round-tripper of the season in the blowout win.
The game was actually fairly tight with ACU holding a 8-6 lead through five innings. But the Wildcats put the game away with a six-run sixth inning and an eight-run seventh.
ACU hammered out a combined 10 hits in the final two innings, and the Zias contributed to their own downfall with a combined five errors in those two innings.
Brigance had a three-run home run in the sixth and Nabayan had a two-run shot in the seventh.
All of the late offense made a winner of
Shelby Hall, who went five innings to push her record to 5-8 on the season. She gave up 11 hits and six runs in five innings, but left with the lead. Brittany Rexroad finished up by throwing the final two innings.
