Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 CONWAY, Ark. – Senior pitcher
Hannah Null tossed her seventh shutout of the season in ACU's doubleheader split Friday against Central Arkansas at Farris Field.
The Wildcats snatched game one, 4-0, before falling in game two, 3-1. ACU moves to 21-22 overall and 13-10 Southland play, while the Bears sit at 25-23 and 13-10. ACU and UCA conclude the three-game series with a rubber match game Saturday at 11 a.m.
Game One (ACU 4, Central Arkansas 0) – Neither team could get much going until ACU senior shortstop
Peyton Hedrick hit her sixth home run of the season; a solo shot to start the fourth inning, giving her team a 1-0 lead.
In the seventh the Wildcats loaded the bases off a single from third baseman
Katelyn Belch, and two fielder's choices before
Braegan Hamilton cleared the bases with a triple down the right field line on a 3-2 pitch. That 4-0 lead was more than enough for Null, who allowed just four hits, two walks and struck out seven Sugar Bears en route to picking up the win.
Game Two (UCA 3, ACU 1) – ACU struck first in the third off of three consecutive singles from
Holly Neese, Hedrick and
Brianna Barnhill. Two batters later,
Alyson Bishoff hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Hedrick.
The Sugar Bears answered back with three runs of their own, on in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings to put the game out of the reach of the Wildcats.
Kayla Keeling and
Caroline Adair both collected three hits for the Wildcats, while
Donelle Johnson and Hedrick each added two. ACU out-hit the Bears 12-7 but stranded 13 runners and weren't able to capitalize on its numerous scoring chances.
Null tossed her second complete game of the night, giving up three runs on seven hits while striking out three Sugar Bears.
