Null tosses no-hitter against Southern Illinois

Saturday, February 10

San Antonio, Texas

11:30 a.m.

Abilene Christian

1-2

Southern Illinois

2-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Southern Illinois	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Abilene Christian	0	2	5	0	2	9	8	0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Abilene Christian	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	7	1
UTSA	0	0	2	0	2	0	X	4	9	0

Null tosses no-hitter against Southern Illinois Image

Photo by: Tim Nelson

2/10/2018 9:25:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SAN ANTONIO – Senior Hannah Null Saturday tossed her third career no-hitter in leading Abilene Christian softball to a 9-0 victory over Southern Illinois. She struck out seven of the 16 Saluki batters she faced over 5.0 innings and is one no-hitter away from tying Shelly Owen's (1997-98) school record of four.

Unfortunately, the Wildcats couldn't even their early-season record as tournament host UTSA held on in the nightcap for a 4-2 win.

ACU returns to action Saturday at 11:30 a.m. for a game against Southland Conference foe Texas A&M – Corpus Christi.

Game 1 – Abilene Christian 9, Southern Illinois 0
Hannah Null's third career no-hitter was accompanied by an ACU hit parade as the Wildcats backed their senior ace with nine runs on eight hits.

Null retired the first six batters she faced and received all the run support she needed in the second inning after Donnell Johnson ripped a one-out double down the left field line to score Holly Neese. Brianna Barnhill scored two batters later on a wild pitch that made it a 2-0 game.

ACU soon put the game out of reach with a five-run third inning. Neese and Katelyn Belch each recorded RBI hits and Peyton Hedrick scored an unearned run on a throwing error by the Salukis' first baseman.

Null eventually lost her shot at perfection in the fourth inning with a two-out hit by pitch, but got the next batter to ground out, and spent only six pitches in the top of the fifth.

Null's performance would end there on 51 pitches as Johnson clinched the game four pitches into the Wildcats' half of the fifth inning with a two-run home run to left-center field off SIU reliever Megan Brown.

Johnson finished game one at the plate 2-for-2 with four RBI.

Game 2 – UTSA 4, Abilene Christian 2
Null again went the distance for the Wildcats in their nightcap, striking out six in a 4-2 loss to the Roadrunners.

Brianna Barnhill, who hit her second home run of the season in as many days, spotted Null a 1-0 lead in the second inning but UTSA quickly countered with a two-run home run in the third by Hannah Boring. The home team later tacked on two additional runs in the fourth on consecutive two-out RBI by Ashlynn Walls and Hailey Garza.

The Roadrunners maintained their 4-1 lead until there was one out in the seventh when Calie Burris brought home Donelle Johnson on a fly ball to center. Briana Tijerina then singled to bring the tying run to the plate, but UTSA starter Madison Nelson ended matters by getting Braegan Hamilton on a ground ball to third base.

The Wildcats collected seven hits off Nelson with two off the bats of Tijerina and Hedrick. Johnson went 1-for-1 with two walks.