ABILENE – Juniors
Madison Buckley and
Lyndi Smith each hit a two-run home run and senior
Caitlyn Crain struck out three batters, leading Abilene Christian to a series-opening 10-2 win vs. Cameron Friday evening at Poly Wells Field.
The game, which lasted all of 85 minutes, was stopped after 4.5 innings due to softball's run rule.
The Wildcats (22-20, 6-10 LSC) batted around in the first and second innings, scoring 10 runs on eight hits and five walks issued by starter Kelsey Hebert (4-5) and reliever Samantha Betts.
Buckley's home run over the wall in left-center was her second of the year and gave ACU a 2-0 lead with one out. Afterward, Smith reached on a fielding error by the shortstop, which kept the inning alive for seven additional batters.
Freshman
Cara Hoover made it a 3-0 game with a RBI single, and then
Demi McNulty drew a walk, which loaded the bases for outfielder
Paige Stevens' two-run double that pushed ACU's lead to 5-0.
Senior
Keanna Winkfield drove in ACU's sixth and final first-inning run on an infield single to third base.
The Wildcats went on to add four runs in the second, starting with Smith's eighth blast of the season that also scored Buckley, who opened the frame with a bunt single. ACU then loaded the bases a second time for Stevens, who drove in two more runs with a single to left field.
Stevens finished her night a perfect 2-for-2 from the No. 9 spot with a career high four RBI.
Crain (10-9) allowed just two runs over 5.0 innings despite allowing eight hits. The Aggies scratched out a run in the first on Leslie Martin's RBI double to the left-center gap, and then made it a 10-2 game in the fourth when leadoff batter Spencer Ferrell ripped a two-out extra-base hit that scored pinch runner Mackenzie Burk from second base.
Altogether, Crain left six Aggies stranded on base, including four in scoring position. She also was helped by third baseman
Heather Peacock, who gunned down a runner at home plate to end a threat in the second inning.
The Wildcats and Aggies conclude their three-game series with a doubleheader scheduled for noon Saturday.
