HOUSTON, Texas – Abilene Christian softball (13-31, 6-21 SLC) saw its 2019 season come to an end Saturday afternoon at Husky Field in an 8-5 defeat at the hands of the Houston Baptist Huskies. The team trailed through two innings, but would fight all the way back to tie the game in the sixth. However, HBU (23-23, 11-16 SLC) took the lead in the home sixth and would hold on to complete the weekend sweep.
Blair Clayton got the day started with a ground ball in the infield with the bases loaded that resulted in a fielder's choice. A throwing error by the second baseman then allowed another run to score, giving the 'Cats a 2-0 lead right away in the top of the first. HBU, however, would tie the game with a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning off starter
Jillian Hefner.
The long ball would prove to be a factor an inning later for the Huskies, as Amber Lotz launched a three-run shot to give HBU its first lead, 5-2. The teams would then trade scoreless innings before ACU would make a comeback.
Samantha Bradley and Clayton would put together back-to-back rbi-singles in the fifth inning to make it a one-run game, 5-4, and teammate
Briana Tijerina would tie it an inning later. The sophomore would also add an rbi-single to the tally to even the game, 5-5. The game changed again, though, for the worse in the home sixth.
HBU continued to find the long ball. The third homer of the day, this one a three-one blast, would give the Huskies an 8-5 lead, one they would not surrender. ACU did not score in the top of the seventh, ending its season.
The Wildcats' season comes to a close with a final record of 13-31, including a 6-21 mark in the Southland Conference.
Bobby Reeves' squad was one of the youngest in the league, with no seniors on the roster to go along with 14 underclassmen. The team will not make a trip to the Southland Conference Tournament after earning a spot in the 2018 tourney in the first year of eligibility at the NCAA Division I level.
ACU will bring back the entire roster for 2020, and got key contributions from newcomers
Samantha Bradley and
Linsey Tomlinson, as well as returners
Kayla Keeling and
Blair Clayton. Bradley led the team in hitting with a .317 average, while Tomlinson drove in 22 runs and launched three homers. Keeling and Clayton each led the way with seven home runs in 2019, with Keeling driving in a team-best 24 runs. Clayton's .533 slugging percentage was a team-best, recording 15 extra base hits.
Freshman
Kaitlyn Huseman stepped onto the scene at shortstop, filling a big void by her current volunteer coach
Peyton Hedrick. The rookie hit .287 and started all 43 games at the busiest position in the field, and made dazzling plays throughout her first season.
The 'Cats featured three pitchers this season, including Bradley (6-18, 5.90 ERA) and
Calie Burris. Burris led the staff with 19 starts, finishing 6-8 with a 4.70 earned run average. It was Bradley, however, who logged the most innings, tossing 143.1 on the season. Hefner made 10 starts as a freshman, finishing 1-4 with an 8.30 ERA.
The team went 7-10 in its 17 non-conference games, and finished 8-11 at Poly Wells Field in 2019. The team did struggle on the road, finishing 1-12 away from Abilene. With a more experienced team in 2020, the future has a lot to look forward to next spring.
