Softball wins series opener at Northwestern State, 4-1

NATCHITOCHES, La. - Peyton Hedrick hit a two-run home run and pitchers Sidney Holman and Hannah Null combined on a four-hitter in the Wildcats' 4-1 victory at Northwestern State Friday night. The two sides conclude their series Saturday with a 12 and 2 p.m. doubleheader.

The victory lifted ACU's season and Southland Conference records to 14-12 and 4-0, while the Lady Demons dropped to 10-17-1 and 0-4.

Northwestern State went ahead first on a second-inning throwing error, but the Wildcats would tie the score on a fourth-inning RBI single by Casey-May Huff and took the lead for good during a three-run fifth. ACU's decisive frame started with a leadoff single by Alli Spivey. The senior right fielder stole second base and advanced to third on a sacrifice hit by Taylor Brown. Braegan Hamilton plated Spivey with a RBI single and Hedrick followed with her ninth home run of the spring -- a two-run blast that cleared the wall in left-center field.

The Lady Demons were retired in order in their half of the fifth by Holman (9-3), but after the freshman hurler from Belton, Texas, walked the sixth-inning's leadoff batter she was replaced by redshirt junior Hannah Null. Slugger Kellye Kincannon singled off Null to give the home team a two-on, no-out threat, but Null battled back to strike out the next two batters on 11 pitches, and got the last batter to ground out back to the circle.

The seventh inning was a breeze for Null as she wrapped up the final frame on just seven pitches to earn the Wildcats' first save of the spring.

Holman and Null combined for 5 Ks on 94 pitches. Holman tossed 67 pitches in 5.0 innings and Null had 27 in the sixth and seventh.

The Wildcats recorded nine base hits off three Lady Demon pitchers. Huff recorded the team's lone multi-hit game with two singles, and Brown drilled a triple for one of two ACU extra-base knocks.

Katelyn Boles started for Northwestern State and punched out six over 4.0 innings. Mikayla Brown then came in for an inning and suffered the loss after giving up three runs on four hits. Hayley Barbazon finished the game for the Lady Demons with two scoreless innings.