ABILENE – The ACU softball team had a hitting frenzy in the final three innings Friday night to beat Incarnate Word, 8-0, in a run-rule-shortened six innings at Wells Field.
Seven Wildcats combined to pound out 12 hits, including two each for
Donelle Johnson,
Braegan Hamilton,
Holly Neese,
Peyton Hedrick and
Caroline Adair. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Hedrick blasted a two-run homer – her fourth round-tripper of the season – to give ACU a 2-0 lead.
The Wildcats tacked on four more in the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-0 and then ended the game in the bottom of the sixth with two more to make It an 8-0 final. The win pushes the Wildcats to 15-20 overall and 8-8 in the Southland Conference, while the Cardinals fall to 12-22 and 5-11. The series will conclude Saturday with a noon doubleheader.
Leading 2-0 in the fifth, third baseman
Katelyn Belch and Adair reached on consecutive singles before Belch stole third and scored on a throwing error by UIW catcher Breanna Nevarez. The Wildcats scored three more runs in the inning on RBI singles by Johnson, Hamilton and Neese.
ACU freshman catcher
Kayla Keeling started the bottom of the sixth with a hard-hit ground ball up the middle. Two batters later, Belch sat patient as she fouled off three balls before drawing a walk to give ACU runners at first and second. Three consecutive singles by Adair, Johnson and Hamilton score two runs for ACU to end the game due to run rule.
Senior pitcher
Hannah Null tossed six scoreless innings and only gave up three hits while striking out four Cardinals to pick up the win, improving to 12-0 on the season.
