SAN MARCOS, Texas - Abilene Christian softball grabbed early leads against Southland Conference favorite Northwestern State and Oklahoma State, but couldn't hold on in either contest as the Lady Demons prevailed, 4-2, and the Cowgirls, 9-7, Saturday night at Texas State's Centurylink Tournament.
The Wildcats fell to 0-4 following the loss to OSU and will finish their stay Sunday at the Bobcat Softball Complex against Texas State at 2 p.m.
Redshirt junior
Hannah Null went the distance against Northwestern State (4-0), striking out five and walking one in 7.0 innings of work. She was given a 1-0 lead in the fourth following sophomore
Peyton Hedrick's second solo home run of the weekend, but the Lady Demons came right back with runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Micayla Sorosiak doubled home pinch runner Kayla Roquemore with two outs in the fifth, tying the score at 1-1, and in the sixth inning, a leadoff walk, passed ball and bunt led to Jordan Rains scoring the go-ahead run from third base on Hailee Rhodes' fly ball to center.
ACU freshman
Donelle Johnson tied the score once more in the sixth with a solo shot, which was her second of the tournament, but that would be the last hit surrendered by NSU's Micaela Bouvier as she finished her complete-game effort with seven strikeouts.
NSU took the lead for good in its half of the seventh on a two-run home run to right center by Natalie Landry.
Oklahoma State evened its early-season record to 2-2 following its comeback win over the Wildcats. The Cowgirls hit three-home runs, including two during a four-run third inning, and a two-run shot off the bat of designated player Kristin Reasnor in the fourth, which put them ahead 7-3.
OSU scored an additional run that inning on a RBI single by pinch hitter Michaela Patton, and then the Wildcats struck back with a three-run fifth. Johnson started the two-out mini rally with a double and scored on Hedrick's single up the middle. Hedrick then came around on a single through the right side by
Holly Neese.
Brianna Barnhill slashed a hit to center field to plate Neese but was caught at third base trying to stretch her double into a triple following the throw home.
Three of the first four Oklahoma State batters reached on singles in the fifth to load the bases and the Cowgirls took a 9-6 lead on Madi Sue Montgomery's sacrifice fly to center field.
ACU got a run back in the sixth on an infield single RBI by
Taylor Brown that scored
Alli Spivey, but the Wildcats would leave two runners stranded in scoring position in the seventh as reliever Brandi Needham got a ground ball and strikeout to end the game for her first save of the year.
The victory went to Kacy Freeze, who struck out five and walked one in 5.0 innings.
Johnson, Hedrick and Brown all finished today's doubleheader with three hits. Johnson additionally scored four of the Wildcats' nine runs.
