RUSTON, La. - Abilene Christian softball dropped its second consecutive doubleheader Saturday at the Lady Techster Invitational, losing 3-0 to host Louisiana Tech and 8-2 to Louisiana Monroe.
Senior
Emily Seidel started for the Wildcats (0-4) in game one against the Lady Techsters (2-2) and struck out three over 6.0 innings pitched. She escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first with a fly ball to center and retired Louisiana Tech in order in the second and third before getting into trouble in the fourth.
Right fielder Kassidy Harris led off with a single up the middle and her pinch-runner, Kristen Miles, scored one out later from second base on a single by Bianca Duran, the starting pitcher. Duran helped herself out further with a two-out, two-run home run off Seidel in the sixth.
Harris and Duran represented all of the Lady Techster's offense, going a combined 4-for-5 with three RBI.
From the circle, Duran struck out two in 6.0 innings before giving way to Pauline Tufi, who recorded her first save of 2015 behind two strikeouts.
Holly Neese recorded two of the Wildcats' three hits, with the other coming off the bat of
Kristin Watkins.
ACU's best chance to score came in the fourth as Neese and
Kaleigh Singleton reached second and third with no outs, but Duran came back with a strikeout, fly out and ground ball, which started a streak of 12 consecutive retired batters.
The ULM offense scored two runs in each of the first three innings and two more in the top of the seventh to complete its 8-2 victory over the Wildcats.
ACU starter and newcomer
Julia Montoya was charged with four runs - two earned - through the first 2.0 innings. Seidel then pitched the final 5.0 frames and surrendered four runs on seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
The Warhawks scored their first two runs in the first on an error and RBI single, and did the same an inning later as a two-out fielding miscue was followed by a second-straight run-scoring hit by Alexis Cacioppo, who finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBI.
ULM leadoff hitter Rochelle Roberts went 2-for-3 with two runs and RBI double in the seventh. Faith Bohack homered off Seidel with one out in the third inning to finish 2-for-3.
The Wildcats scored their two runs in the first off starter Melanie Coyne, who lasted only one inning. Watkins scored from second base on a one-out double by
Peyton Hedrick, and she came home two batters later on a RBI double down the left-field line by Singleton.
Hedrick led the Wildcats' offense with two hits.
Following the first inning, the Warhawks' bullpen allowed just five more baserunners over the final 6.0 frames as the Wildcats left runners at the corners in the third and hit into double plays in the sixth and seventh.
ULM middle reliever Jessica Colliver earned the win behind 5.0 shutout innings with six strikeouts. Haylie Wilson then pitched a scoreless seventh to push the Warhawks' record to 3-1.
ACU completes its stay at Louisiana Tech Sunday vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff. First pitch is 9:45 a.m.
