BEAUMONT, Texas – The ACU softball team began the Southland Conference portion of the schedule Friday evening at Lamar University, and earned a split to open league play at 1-1. After being held to just three hits in a 2-0 loss in the opener, the Wildcats (7-11) responded with a 5-3 win behind 11 hits to down the Cardinals (10-14).
PLEASE NOTE: The two teams will meet on Saturday for a single game to close out the series, and the start time has been changed. First pitch is now scheduled for 11 a.m. at the LU Softball Complex.
Game 1: LU 2 – ACU 0
It was a pitching duel in the opening game that featured a grand total of nine hits, with both starters going the distance. ACU's
Samantha Bradley (2-8) took the loss after allowing two earned runs in six innings on six hits, while Lamar's Aaliyah Ruiz (2-1) went the full seven innings, tossing the shutout on three hits while striking out six.
The Cardinals struck first in the second inning with an rbi-groundout from Taylor Murphy to score Maddy Myers. ACU did not have many chances to tie the game, as the Wildcats left just four runners on base.
Lamar added an insurance run in the fourth with an rbi-double down the left-field line from Jade Lewis, and the 2-0 lead was more than enough for Ruiz and the home team.
Bradley,
Kayla Keeling, and
Blair Clayton recorded the hits for ACU.
Game 2: ACU 5 – LU 3
The offense got going in the backend of the twin bill, tallying 11 hits in a 5-3 victory, and it opened with a three-run first to get started.
Calie Burris, the starting pitcher, helped herself with an rbi-single to right field to score
Taylor McCoy, and the Wildcats were off and running. Junior
Linsey Tomlinson followed it up with a single to right of her own to score Bradley to push the lead to 2-0. The lead was 3-0 when Clayton reached on an error at third base, allowing Burris to score.
Lamar would get on the board against Burris in the third inning when Shannon Klaus produced an rbi-groundout to second base. The run was unearned due to an error in right field to allow Mackenzie Futrell to move up 60 feet. But the Wildcats were still in control, leading 3-1 after three.
ACU played long ball to add to its lead with one in the fifth and one in the sixth to push the advantage to 5-1, and that would be enough. Keeling launched her team-leading fourth homer in the fifth, while Belch score freshman
Anna Grace Johnson on an rbi-groundout to second base in the sixth frame. Leading 5-3, with relief pitcher Bradley in the game, the Wildcats closed it down.
A two-run sixth inning allowed the Cardinals to move within 5-3, but would only put one runner on via an error in the seventh. A popout to second baseman
Briana Tijerina ended it, with Burris getting the win (3-1) after 5.1 innings of work. The sophomore allowed one earned run on five hits with a pair of strikeouts. Bradley earned her first save of the season after 1.2 innings of scoreless relief work.
Burris' 3-4 day at the plate was a team-best, with
Katelyn Belch, Keeling, and Tomlinson added two base knocks apiece. Four different Wildcats drove in runs in the win.
