ABILENE - Four errors by the Wildcats' infield led to as many unearned runs in Abilene Christian's 8-5 Southland Conference season-opening loss to Southeastern Louisiana Friday night at Poly Wells Field.
The Lions (6-12, 1-0 Southland) built an early 2-0 lead in the second on two Wildcat miscues at third base, and right after the home team closed to within two runs in the sixth (6-4) Southeastern benefitted from a dropped pop up at first base to begin the seventh.
Two outs later that inning No. 8 hitter Teresa Lemos poked a two-run single up the middle to score the runners from second and third base.
Lemos' third hit of the ball game essentially iced the victory for the Lions even though ACU would threaten their lead once more in its final at-bat. The Wildcats had already scored one run thanks to a passed ball followed by an RBI ground out by
Kaleigh Lightsey, but with two on and two out, starter Taylor Bishop got
Cara Hoover to fly out to left field to end the game.
ACU made it a 2-1 game in its half of the third on a solo shot by
Brianna Barnhill that hit off the light post in left field, but Southeastern would quickly distance itself behind a four-run third inning.
Lemos led off with a double to wall and then Vanessa Eng crushed her second home run of the season over the wall in left-center field.
Katie Lacour kept the Lions' offense rolling with an infield single and Kinsey Nichols followed with a RBI triple past a diving
Taylor Brown. Nichols tagged up at third to make it a 6-1 game on a fly ball off the bat of Sydney Booker.
The Wildcats rattled Bishop a bit in the sixth as
Peyton Hedrick, Lightsey and Hoover all singled to start the inning. Hoover drove in Hedrick on a base knock to center field, while Lightsey came home on a double by
Holly Vanckhoven.
With two outs, pinch runner
Lakin Carpenter scampered home after an errant throw by the center fielder sailed past the catcher. But the Wildcats would get no more as Bishop got Barnhill to end the frame with a foul pop fly.
Bishop struck out two and walked none in her complete-game effort that lifted her season mark to 4-3. Seidel, meanwhile, struck out six through her seven innings of work.
Hedrick and Vanckhoven led the Wildcats' offense with two hits each, while Nichols and Lemos both collected three hits for the Lions.
The Wildcats and Lions conclude their three-game series Saturday with an 11 a.m. doubleheader.
