ABILENE – Get. Those. Brooms. Out.
For the first time in 2019, the Wildcat softball team completes a three-game sweep of a Southland Conference opponent, putting a beautiful stamp on the home schedule. The 'Cats took the field for the final time this season at Poly Wells Field, and battled with the Islanders of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi through the first four innings. The game turned in the fifth as the Wildcats pulled away to secure the victory. With the win, ACU (13-28, 6-18 SLC) has its longest winning streak of the season at four.
Samantha Bradley and
Calie Burris got the ball in the first two games, and in game three it was freshman
Jillian Hefner who got the chance in the circle. Hefner went 2.2 innings of work for head coach
Bobby Reeves, who then sent in Bradley and Burris to help out and team together for a victory. Hefner earned the victory, improving to 2-3 in her rookie campaign.
The game was a back-and-forth battle through the first four innings. The Islanders grabbed the lead in the first inning with a double and an error, and as fans were just settling in, it was 3-0 visitors.
The Wildcats would respond in the second inning, their biggest inning of the series. Singles from
Caroline Adair and
Blakeli Brookreson put a pair of runs on the board, and the game would be tied when
Briana Tijerina drew a bases-loaded walk. Then it was
Linsey Tomlinson's turn. The junior roped a double on just the second pitch of her at-bat to score a pair, and ACU had the lead at 5-3. The Wildcats outscored the Islanders 13-0 in the second inning in the three games. However, this lead would be short.
Corpus Christi responded with an rbi-double and a sacrifice fly to tie the game, but they would not score again. Bradley and Burris kept the Islander offense at bay, allowing just two hits the rest of the game.
The game was tied at five, and
Blair Clayton decided to do something about it in the third. The junior launched her team-leading seventh homer of the season to take a one-run lead.
Kayla Keeling took the solo team-lead in home runs on Friday, but Clayton joined her once again a day later. Later in the inning, Adair would get another rbi chance, and would take advantage with a single up the middle. The 'Cats had the lead, and they would not let it go.
Katelyn Belch singled to right field and Tomlinson doubled in the fifth inning, both bringing home runs to break the game open in ACU's favor. The offense did its job to give Bradley and Burris some cushion for the remainder of the game, and the two combined to preserve the victory.
The Wildcats outscored the Islanders 29-10 in the series, and outhit their guests 33-22. Bradley's 6-for-9 effort at the plate with her first two home runs of the series are the highlight, but multiple players had good Saturday's as well.
Kaitlyn Huseman put together a 3-for-3 day, drew a walk, and scored three times. Tomlinson, Bradley, and Adair each tallied two hits, with Tomlinson's four rbi leading the way. Adair drove in a pair as well.
ACU will hit the road for the final three games of the season next weekend. The Wildcats will head to H-Town to battle the Huskies of Houston Baptist on Friday and Saturday, May 3-4. The doubleheader Friday begins at 1 p.m., while the season finale begins Saturday at 12 p.m.
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