HUNTSVILLE, Texas - Abilene Christian softball scored all three of its runs between the seventh and ninth innings Saturday to salvage the final contest of its three-game series at Sam Houston State, 3-2.
Brianna Barnhill drove in the game-winning run in the top of the ninth and
Julia Montoya sealed the victory by pitching her way out of a two-on, two-out jam.
Fittingly, it was shortstop
Peyton Hedrick who caught the games's final out after experiencing all the highs-and-lows of a game-altering seventh inning. Â
With one on and one out and her team trailing 1-0, Hedrick cracked her 10th home run of the spring over the wall in center field to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead. Sadly though that lead did not last long as Jessica Slater led off with a triple to the left-center gap and scored on a misplay by Hedrick that was ruled an error.
The next Bearkat batter would walk but couldn't get further than second base after Montoya, called into the game from the bullpen, got Sam Houston's No. 4 and 5 batters to fly out.
Both offenses were retired in order in the eighth, but speedy pinch hitter
Lakin Carpenter reached first on a bunt single to start the ninth. She advanced to third base on back-to-back ground balls and came charging home on Barnhill's single up the middle after Hedrick was intentionally walked.
The Bearkats came close to tying the score once more in the ninth as their No. 9 batter Angelica Gonzales drew a leadoff walk and raced to second on a two-out single by Tiffany Casillo. But Montoya got cleanup hitter Sarah Allison to pop up as she finished her day 0-for-5.
Both of Sam Houston's runs were unearned. The Bearkats took a 1-0 lead in the fifth on a sacrifice fly to center that was preceeded by a passed ball and bunt single that allowed pinch runner Ashley Kopps to advance from first to third with one out. But after Kopps scored, the Wildcats caught Peyton Webb between second and third base to complete an unusual double play.
The Wildcats return home next week Friday for the start of a three-game series vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, which will be their last of 2015 at Poly Wells Field. Game times are Friday at 4 p.m. (DH) and Saturday at 12 p.m.
