Wildcats host Baylor in Sunday doubleheader

ABILENE — ACU will host Big 12 and national powerhouse Baylor in a 1 p.m. doubleheader Sunday  at Wells Field. The Wildcats were supposed to be playing in the Baylor tournament this weekend in Waco, but that was scratched after heavy rain this week in Central Texas drenched the Baylor field, leaving the surface unplayable.

Instead, the Lady Bears — 7-0 on the season and ranked No. 8 in the latest USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches' Association Top 25 poll and No. in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 — will be in Abilene for two games Sunday. Admission for Sunday's doubleheader is free to everyone.

The Wildcats are 4-5 on the season, but went 3-2 last weekend at the Eastern Michigan Madeira Beach Spring Invitational in Madeira, Fla. ACU beat Missouri-Kansas City, Jacksonville State and Monmouth — rallying from a 9-0 deficit to win 10-9 against Monmouth — before falling to Georgia Southern and George Mason in its final two games of the tournament.

Senior pitcher Hannah Null will get the start in the first game and will take a 4-3 record and 1.99 ERA into the circle. She's struck out 38 batters and only walked six in her first 38 2/3 innings of work this season. Freshman pitcher Callie Burris (0-1, 5.04 ERA) will get the start in the second game.

The Wildcats are led offensively by Brianna Barnhill, who is hitting .261, but leads the team in home runs (4) and RBI (8). Bargain Hamilton has six RBI, while Donelle Johnson and Kayla Keeling have five apiece.

Baylor is hitting .403 as a team and has limited its first seven opponents to a combined .155 batting average. Jessie Scroggins is hitting .565 and Goose McGlaun .500 for the Lady Bears, while Carlee Wallace (.471), Nicky Dawson (.467) and Caitlin Charlton (.17) are also hitting better than .400.

Gia Rodoni is Baylor's ace, entering the game with a 4-0 record and 1.40 ERA, while Goose McGlaun is 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA.