BEAUMONT, Texas – The ACU softball battled to the very end in the rubber match of its three-game series with the Lamar Cardinals, but ultimately surrendered a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to drop the contest 5-4. The Wildcats open the Southland Conference schedule at 1-3, and sit at 7-12 overall on the season, while Lamar improves to 11-14 and 2-1 in league play.
Head coach
Bobby Reeves gave the ball to sophomore
Calie Burris to start the game, and the right-hander went 5.0 innings before giving way to
Samantha Bradley. Burris earned the no-decision after allowing three runs (just one earned) on three hits, after facing 21 batters. Bradley would go on to toss 2.1 innings of relief, allowing two earned runs on four hits with a pair of strikeouts, but unfortunately would fall to 2-9 on the season in the circle.
Lamar starter Aaliyah Ruiz only lasted three innings Saturday, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, but relief pitcher Julia Voluntad earned the win, tossing five innings of one run softball.
ACU did the scoring early, and it began with a bang.
Blair Clayton launched her third home run of 2019 to center field on the first pitch she saw in the second inning to give the visitors a 1-0 lead, and the Wildcats would add to it in the third.
Kayla Keeling doubled down the left-field line to plate
Katelyn Belch, and Bradley followed it up with a single right back up the middle to score Keeling. ACU led 3-0 heading to the home half of the third, but Lamar would get right back in it.
The Cardinals answered with a two-run triple in the right-center field gap to get on the board, and the teams would head to the back-half of the game with the Wildcats leading 3-2.
The teams would trade scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth, but the Cardinals would even the game in the sixth frame with an rbi-single off Bradley. The game was far from over, as both offenses were not done in the later innings.
ACU had an opportunity in the seventh to re-grab the lead, beginning with a key leadoff double from
Briana Tijerina down the left-field line. Belch sacrificed her over to second with a bunt, and freshman
Kaitlyn Huseman pushed a single up the middle to plate Tijerina, giving the Wildcats a 4-3 lead. After Keeling reached on an error, a Burris pop-out and a Bradley groundout ended the threat, leaving potential insurance runs on base. The Cardinals would take advantage.
Lamar earned a leadoff walk off Bradley, and after a single to put runner at first and second, a groundout moved the runners up 60 feet. A sacrifice fly would tie the game, sending the crazy rubber match to extras.
ACU would get another shot at the lead, but a
Linsey Tomlinson leadoff single was squandered after a sacrifice and a groundout. Tijerina was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second, but they were left there after a Belch popout. Lamar would get the chance to win it, and they did.
A leadoff singled turned into a runner at second with one out after a sacrifice. A walk put runners at first and second, and a pinch-hit, rbi-double into center from Taylor Davis won the game, walking off at the LU Softball Complex. Bradley took the loss, but pitched well in relief.
Huseman and Bradley led the way with two hits apiece; ACU recorded nine hits on the day and left nine runners on base. Huseman, Keeling, Bradley, and Clayton each drove in a run for the Wildcats as well.
ACU is back at it next weekend in Natchitoches, La. for a three-game set with the Northwestern State Lady Demons. The games will take place Friday and Saturday, March 15-16, with a doubleheader to open the series at 4 and 6 p.m. The series wraps up Saturday at 1 p.m.
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