Softball | 2/6/2015 2:10:00 PM
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 RUSTON, La. - An early 4-0 deficit proved one run too many for ACU to overcome in its season-opening, 4-3, defeat against Missouri State Friday at the Lady Techster Invitational hosted by Louisiana Tech.
The Wildcats were held to two hits through 5.0 innings by Bears' starter Chelsea Jones before starting the sixth inning with a single to right center by freshman pinch hitter
Holly Vanckhoven. She then motored to second on a one-out single by freshman left fielder
Kristin Watkins but was gunned down at home by center fielder Erika Zimmer on shortstop
Peyton Hedrick's third hit of the morning - a single up the middle.
But with Watkins and Hedrick still aboard, rookie third baseman
Holly Neese crushed a three-run home run to left field to bring the Wildcats to within a run at 4-3.
Unfortunately, that's as close as the Wildcats would get. Jones was relieved by Kaitlin Beason following Neese's round-tripper, and Beason closed the game with two strikeouts in 1.1 scoreless innings pitched..
Emily Seidel tossed the second 7.0-inning complete game of her ACU career complete with a career high nine strikeouts, but couldn't escape jams in the third and fifth innings.
Missouri State put its first three runners of the third on base and received consecutive run-scoring hits from Sara Jones and Mary Stephens that put the Bears ahead 2-0.Â
In the fifth, Jones collected her third hit of the game, stole second and raced to third on a throwing error by the Wildcats' catcher. She then scored on an infield single to make it 3-0 Bears, and Rebecca McPherson followed with an RBI double to right-center field to plate the eventual game-winning run scored by Chelsea Jones.
The Wildcats lost game two of their double-dip, 8-0, to the defending Ohio Valley Conference champions form Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in 5.1 innings.
The Cougars jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, tacked on one in the fifth, and closed the game with three runs in the sixth. The game-ending hit was delivered by Allison Smiley, who ripped a two-run double to right-center with one out vs. ACU starter
Julia Montoya.
Smiley finished the game with five RBI.
Haley Chambers started and pitched 5.0 innings for SIUE, struck out seven, and allowed both Wildcat hits to ACU newcomer
Kaleigh Singleton.
Sophomore
Taylor Brown reached on a walk and stole second base.
The Wildcats return to action Saturday with a doubleheader against host Louisiana Tech and Louisiana Monroe.
