SAN ANGELO, Texas – A three-run sixth in game one followed by a four-run sixth in the nightcap helped Angelo State complete a doubleheader sweep of Abilene Christian Tuesday evening at the ASU Softball Complex.
The Rambelles' won by scores of 6-2 and 5-1, improving their season and Lone Star Conference records to 28-14 and 13-7. The Wildcats, meanwhile, fell to 24-22 and 8-12, snapping a three-game winning streak.
ACU ripped seven hits in game one, including three by senior center fielder
Keanna Winkfield, but could only muster single runs in the first and seventh innings.
Winkfield led off the game with a bunt single and scored an unearned run two batters later when defending Lone Star Conference Player of the Week
Madison Buckley reached on a throwing error by starting pitcher Mary Kate McKay (9-9). But that early rally was quickly squashed as McKay got
Lyndi Smith to fly out and
Heather Peacock to ground out with two on base.
Angelo State then tied the game an out into its first at-bat on one of two solo home runs hit by Lauren Smith against Wildcat starter
Caitlyn Crain (11-10). Smith's second round-tripper was part of the Rambelles' three-run sixth that pushed their lead out to 6-1, and in the third inning she collected a two-out RBI on a single to left.
Morgan Spearman drew a walk to begin the fourth and scored ASU's third run on a throwing error by the shortstop.
The Wildcats made things interesting in the seventh with a two-out rally during which
Sara Vaughn singled home pinch runner
Ashley Nolan, but McKay got Buckley to end the game on a ground ball back to the circle with runners in scoring position.
ACU again jumped out to an early 1-0 lead to start game two, this time on freshman
Taylor Fitzgerald's third home run of the season, however, that would be Sandra Serna's first and only mistake as she improved to 18-4 on the season.
Wildcat senior
Shelby Hall kept the Rambelles off the scoreboard until the fourth when they tied the game on a sacrifice fly. ASU then broke the game wide open in the sixth, scoring four times on five hits and an error against Hall (8-4) and junior
Peyton Mosley.
Darian Dunn and Maddy McGarity broke the 1-1 tie and gave ASU the lead for good on consecutive RBI singles hit up the middle. Leadoff hitter Kacie Easley, who came into tonight hitting a team-best .411, then put the game out of reach one batter later with a two-run double to straightaway center.
ACU would put two aboard in its half of the seventh, but Serna finished the game with a strikeout of Winkfield for her fourth of the game.
The Wildcats return to action Friday for the start of a three-game series at Eastern New Mexico.
