ABILENE– The Wildcats opened WAC play on Saturday hosting the Trailblazers of Utah Tech. UTU got out to a hot start in game one, jumping out to the 3-0 lead in the top of the first. They broke the game open with a nine-run fourth inning and came away with a 12-2 win in five innings. Abilene Christian was on the board first in game two, but the Trailblazers answered quickly to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the second. The Wildcats tied the game at 2-2 before Utah Tech regained the lead 4-2, putting up runs in the fifth and the seventh. ACU tied the game in the bottom of the seventh to go to extra innings and UTU pulled away for a 6-5 win in the ninth.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Game 1
- The Trailblazers put up three runs in the first inning with just one out in the frame.
- Laurén Schiek threw 2.2 scoreless to get the Wildcats to the fourth inning before giving up three singles to begin the fourth.
- UTU put nine runs on the board in the fourth with four runs scoring on wild pitches.
- Mercedes Eichelberger drove in two runs in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single to bring the score to 12-2.
- Freshman Elizabeth Schaefer pitched a scoreless fifth to close out the game.
Game 2
- With runners on first and second in the top of the first, Sammie Shelander hit an RBI single to give ACU the 1-0 lead.
- Utah Tech answered with a run scored on a double steal, the runner on first stole second with the runner on third going home on the throw.
- The Trailblazers scored a second run to take a 2-1 lead on an errant throw to third.
- Catrin Hoffman led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homerun to tie the game at 2-2.
- An RBI double put the Trailblazers back in front 3-2 in the top of the fifth.
- A throwing error on the third baseman allowed another run to score for Utah Tech to push their lead to 4-2 in the top of the seventh.
- The Wildcats loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, Olivia Taylor drove in two runs with and RBI single to tie the game at 4-4.
- UTU drove in two runs in the top of the ninth and the Wildcats added one run on an error to close the game 6-5.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Catrin Hoffman has extended her on-base streak to six games. Her homerun in game two was the first of her Wildcat career.
- With her RBI single in game two, Sammie Shelander now leads the team with 14 RBI on the year.
- Olivia Taylor added to her team-leading steals total and is now 5-6 on the year.
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