ABILENE — Emma Rote extended her season-long hitting streak to 15 games Saturday with a three-hit, two-home run, six RBI afternoon vs. SFA as the Wildcats and 'Jacks split their twin bill at Poly Wells Field.
ACU won game one, 13-10, but were held in check by SFA starter Brooke Gainous on three hits in game two, 10-0 (5 innings).
Mercedes Eichelberger and Laurén Schiek each were honored during the team's annual Senior Day pre-game program, and went on to enjoy tremendous success in game one.
Schiek posted her first win in relief this spring, tossing 4.0 solid innings of four-hit ball from the fourth to seventh frames.
Eichelberger lifted her season average to .318 after reaching base all four times with two triples, a single, and three runs scored.
In fact, the top of ACU's order - Eichelberger, left fielder
Olivia Taylor and right fielder Rote - went a combined 7-for-9 (!) with six runs and nine RBI.
Taylor went 2-for-2 with a single and double, and Rote alternated home runs and walks.
Rote blasted her first home run to tie the score at 2-2 in the first, and launched a grand slam against Corie Byrd as part of a seven run third inning that put the Wildcats ahead, 12-4.
SFA kept chipping back, however. First, Mackenzie Bennett countered with her own grand slam in the fourth, and the following inning, Emily Berryhill scored on a fly ball to Eichelberger in center.
Schiek kept her cool and went on to face the minimum batters in the sixth thanks to Miloch gunning down pinch runner Madison Nguyen at second base. Then in the seventh, Sydney Carithers hit a solo shot off the scoreboard, but Schiek induced back-to-back grounders to end the contest after roughly 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Earlier in game one, ACU helped itself with three runs in the second inning as
Shaylee Alani double home two runs and scored on Eichelberger's triple.
Eichelberger scored again in the fourth, tripling with two outs and coming home on Taylor's double to right field.
Alani accounted for a third of the Wildcats' hits in game two, as she and
Sydney Kaiser recorded consecutive base knocks off Gainous in the third. Unfortunately, they were left stranded as the next two Wildcats popped up on the infield.
The fourth inning started with a single by Rote, but then she was cleared on the basepaths when SFA spun a 6-4 double play. No other Wildcat would reach base for the remainder of the game as the 'Jacks put up six in the third and four in the fourth off two ACU pitchers.
The Wildcats return to action Friday with a 4 p.m. doubleheader at Sam Houston State followed by a noon game Saturday.
The sixth-place Bearkats are a game ahead of the Wildcats in the WAC Standings at 9-9 after winning their series at Tarleton.
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