Wildcat softball drops two games in the desert

TUCSON, Ariz. - Abilene Christian softball dropped both ends of a doubleheader Friday at the Wildcat Invitational hosted by No. 10 Arizona at Hillenbrand Stadium.

ACU lost game one, 6-5, in eight innings to Boston College of the ACC, and was then shutout by the host Wildcats, 7-0, in the night cap.

The Wildcats return to action Saturday with games against Ball State and North Dakota State. Game times are 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. central time.

Game 1 – Boston College 6, ACU 5
Boston College rallied to beat the Wildcats in extra innings, 6-5, behind a game-tying three-run double by Halle Hixenbaugh in the seventh, and a go-ahead eighth-inning fielding error.

ACU held leads of 1-0 and 3-2 in the early goings, and were ahead 5-2 entering the seventh. Freshman Sidney Holman was starting her third inning of work as a reliever and had retired the first six batters she faced until issuing a leadoff walk to catcher Tatiana Cortez. Two of the next three batters reached on a fielder's choice and designated player Carly Severini walked to load the bases, bringing up Hixenbaugh, who was 0-for-2 at this point. 

Hixenbaugh put a charge into Holman's first offering with a double to center field that cleared the bases and tie the score at 5-5. The Wildcats went on to strand a runner at first base in their half of the seventh, and after Boston College went ahead on a two-out infield throwing error, Eagle reliever Jordan Weed closed the game behind two strikeouts and a ground ball to shortstop.

Hannah Null (1-3) both started and finished the game for ACU, pitching a total of 5.0 innings with seven strikeouts and one walk. She retired the side in order in the first, and after getting the first out of the second, she allowed a double to Annie Murphy followed by a two-run blast to center field by Jules Trevino that put the Eagles ahead 2-1.

Null would give up singles in the third and fourth innings, but neither runner would get past first base as she ended each frame with a strikeout.

Offensively, the Wildcats collected nine base hits, drew seven walks, and reached twice via error, but they also left 12 runners on base. 

ACU grabbed the game's first lead thanks to a shortstop error that allowed Taylor Brown to score with one out. Unfortunately, the Wildcats would leave two stranded in scoring position as starter Kendra Friedt bounced back with ground balls hit to second base and the circle.

Catcher Kaleigh Singleton started the second with a home run to right, and it appeared the Wildcats would be on their way to a big inning as designated player Blair Clayton and first baseman Brianna Barnhill both reached base via single and walk. However, both these base runners would be thrown out on force plays at third base.

Peyton Hedrick broke the tie score with a single down the right field line following the second fielder's choice, plating Taylor Brown to make it a 3-2 game. And then in the fifth, ACU loaded the bases with one out and scored two runs on Barnhill's bases-loaded walk and Brown's RBI single to left.

The Wildcats would go on to leave the bases loaded, and in the sixth they had two runners thrown out along the base paths. Left fielder Braegan Hamilton was gunned down at third, stretching for a triple, and third baseman Casey-May Huff was caught stealing second by Cortez. 
 

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Game 2 – No. 10 Arizona 7, ACU 0
Arizona pitching limited the Abilene Christian Wildcats to two hits, and its offense capitalized on three errors during a 7-0 victory.

The 10th-ranked Wildcats took a 1-0 lead in the first on a sacrifice fly to center field when Katiyana Mauga brought home Deja Mulipola, who had advanced to second base earlier in the inning on an error by the right fielder.

Arizona then scored four times on three hits and an error in the second. The first two Wildcats reached on singles and the third batter made it on a throwing error by starting pitcher Sidney Holman. Jessie Harper scored on the errant throw, and two batters later Mulipola drilled a bases-clearing double down the left field line that made it a 5-0 game.

Hannah Null came in to start the third inning and held the Wildcats scoreless until the bottom of the sixth when Arizona plated two more runs on Alyssa Palomino's double to center field.

Danielle O'Toole started for Arizona and struck out six in as many innings worked, getting 12 ground ball outs along the way. Michelle Floyd came on to pitch the seventh, and put two aboard before inducing a game-ending double play ball off the bat of newcomer Nicole Matise.

ACU's lone hits were singles by Alli Spivey and Taylor Brown in the first and third innings.