ABILENE— ACU faced a tough test on Friday night as they welcomed the first-place Ladyjacks to Poly Wells field for a doubleheader. After SFA ran away with game one, the Wildcats were competitive early in game two, but a late inning surge from the Ladyjacks kept them perfect in Southland play.
Game 1
It was a hot start for SFA in game one as they put up three runs in the first inning and scored another four runs in the second to take a 7-0 lead.
Val Rudd drove in the lone run for the Wildcats in the bottom of the third with a triple to bring home Miranda Davila. The Ladyjacks drove in two more runs in the top of the sixth, taking a 9-1 lead, and earned the win in six innings after ACU didn't score in the bottom half.
Game 2
The Ladyjacks scored quickly once again in game two, but the Wildcats had an answer in the bottom of the inning. Down 2-0 with two runners on,
Samantha Bradley launched her fourth homerun of the season to take a 3-2 lead. SFA answered with a run in the second to tie the game at three and took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth. The Wildcats were able to plate a run in the bottom of the fourth when
Val Rudd drove in
Donelle Johnson on a double, but when Rudd tried to stretch the double to a triple, she was thrown out at third for the third out of the inning. The Ladyjacks reclaimed the lead in the next inning, 6-4, and the Wildcats capitalized on two errors in the bottom of the inning to plate a run, but that would be all the offense they could conjure on the night. SFA put up four more runs in the sixth to come away with a 10-5 win.
Stat pack
- Val Rudd notched two RBI on the day while Samantha Bradley had three. Sydney Kaiser earned her first career RBI when she drew a bases-loaded walk in her lone plate appearance of the day.
- SFA totaled five homeruns on the day, scoring 12 of their 19 runs via the long ball.
- The Wildcats totaled six extra-base hits on the day and three stolen bases.
- Rudd is now tied atop the Southland Conference for most triples with three on the season.
- ACU left a total of 14 runners on base over the course of the two games.
Up next
ACU will be back at Poly Wells to close out the three-game series on Saturday at noon.
