Box Score DENTON, Texas – Junior
Courtney Flanary smashed a go-ahead, three-run home run in the sixth inning as part of a 3-for-4 afternoon, but No. 10 Texas Woman's would have the final word as the Pioneers scored a pair of two-out runs leading to an 8-7 walk-off victory in the seventh.
The win kept the Pioneers (26-6) undefeated in Lone Star Conference play at 4-0, while the Wildcats fell to 15-13 overall and 1-3 within the league.
Senior
Caitlyn Crain (7-6) suffered the heartbreaking loss while in relief and was just one out away from securing the save. However, she issued consecutive walks to the Pioneer's No. 9 and leadoff hitters before surrendering a RBI single to center off the bat of Amanda Ruiz.
Haley Colwell scored easily on the hit from second base, while Bailey Vrazel – last year's NCAA leader with 75 steals – came all the way home from first after center fielder
Keanna Winkfield bobbled the ball.
TWU's dramatic comeback was its second of the game as the Pioneers earlier rallied back from a 4-0 deficit against starter
Peyton Mosley and reliever
Shelby Hall.
The Pioneers sent all nine batters to the plate during their three-run fourth, which started with a solo home run from Lizzy Kelly. That round-tripper – Kelly's second of the year – was then followed by three more singles and a walk.
Kelly again reached base to lead off the fifth and quickly scored on Katie Hines' 11th home run of the year, which sailed down the left field line and gave TWU a 5-4 lead. The Pioneers made it a 6-4 game after Sarah Wittenburg scored on a wild pitch.
ACU came back to take its short-lived lead in the sixth against reliever Brandie Lander (10-3). Freshman
Demi McNulty led off and reached on the shortstop's error, and then rookie
Paige Stevens produced a bunt single.
Winkfield tried to move the runners over, but instead popped out on her bunt attempt, and then
Madison Buckley lined out to second. Flanary, however, got a hold of one and drilled the ball over the wall in center for her fifth home run of the year.
ACU scored three times in the first and once more in the third against starter Larisa Garcia. Flanary and
Lyndi Smith got the Wildcats on the board with back-to-back doubles, and after
Heather Peacock singled,
Sara Vaughn brought home Smith with a fly ball to center.
Peacock ripped an RBI single in her next at-bat in the third, but was thrown out trying to stretch for second. The junior first baseman today finished 3-for-4 with a RBI, while Stevens was 2-for-3.
The Wildcats and Pioneers conclude their series Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
