Softball | 3/15/2015 4:18:00 PM
Box Score BEAUMONT, Texas - Senior pitcher
Emily Seidel tossed a 6.0-inning complete game with seven strikeouts Sunday at Lamar, but three straight walks to begin the second inning set the stage for a six-run frame and the Cardinals went on to sweep the Wildcats behind a 7-4 victory.
The loss dropped ACU to 4-18 overall and 1-5 vs. the Southland, while the 13-10 Cardinals maintained their hold on first place at 6-0.
Seidel issued nine walks as part of a 135-pitch afternoon, however, she managed to escape substantial damage following the second inning during which a three-run home run by Sable Hankins was bookended by run-scoring singles by Stephanie Meeuwsen and Sarah Ragsdale. Brynn Baca also scored on one of Seidel's two wild pitches.
From there Seidel stranded four runners on base from the third to fifth innings and later allowed a run in the sixth on two hits and a walk.
Lamar starter Lauren Napoli held the Wildcats in check until they erupted for four runs in the fifth inning. Three of the first four ACU batters reached base via walk, single and hit by pitch, leading to
Demi McNulty's infield RBI single to shortstop.
McNulty finished the game 2-of-3 with a run and RBI.
A second run scored on an error by the Lamar third baseman and then
Kristin Watkins punched a double to the right-center gap to plate
Tori Valdivia and McNulty.
Napoli rebounded to get
Peyton Hedrick out on a ground ball to second and ended the frame on a foul out at third. The Wildcats went quietly in the sixth, and in the seventh Hedrick flew out to right field while representing the game-tying run.
The Wildcats conclude their four-game road trip Tuesday night at UT Arlington. First pitch is at 5 p.m.
