HOUSTON – Catcher
Kaleigh Singleton and pinch hitter
Tori Poullard each hit a two-run home run, and
Hannah Null tossed a complete game four-hitter to lead Abilene Christian softball to an 8-1 win and sweep of a three-game series at Houston Baptist Saturday afternoon.
The Wildcats are now 18-13 overall and 8-1 vs. the Southland Conference after recording their second sweep in three weeks. The Huskies, meanwhile, fell to 7-16 and 0-9 vs. the league.
ACU scored two runs in the first, fourth, fifth and seventh innings. Senior
Casey-May Huff drove in the game's first two runs on a two-out single up the middle that plated
Taylor Brown (1-for-3) and
Peyton Hedrick (1-for-3), and in the fourth inning, Singleton (1-for-3) made it a 4-0 game after blasting her second home run of the season over the wall in left field vs. starter Emily Mueller.
Brown scored a second time in the fifth after coming home on a
Brianna Barnhill (1-for-2) single, and ACU pushed its lead to 6-0 on a
Braegan Hamilton (2-for-3) RBI single to left center against reliever Shae Bibby.
ACU head coach
Bobby Reeves pinch hit his entire batting order in the seventh, and after
Nicole Matise drew a leadoff walk vs. Bibby, Poullard slammed a shot down the left-field line for her first collegiate career round-tripper.
Null started the game with five scoreless innings and pitched her way out of two jams in the third and fourth innings, stranding a combined three runners in scoring position. But to start the sixth, Cecilia Bauer clubbed her third home run of the spring to left field, spoiling the redshirt junior's attempt at a shutout. From there, however, Null allowed just two more base runners and ended the game with a ground ball to first base.
Null finished the contest with five strikeouts, two walks, and 122 pitches.
The Wildcats return to action March 29 with a Wednesday night 6 p.m. game at No. 14 Baylor.
