HUNTSVILLE, Texas - Abilene Christian rallied from a run down in its final at-bat to top Sam Houston, 7-6, in a thrilling night cap Friday at the Bearkat Softball Complex.
Catrin Hoffman was credited with the game-winning RBI with one gone in the seventh. Afterward,
Riley White completed her fifth game of the spring by retiring the side in order.
The Wildcats (9-11) and Bearkats (10-10) exchanged the lead four times - including three times after the fifth - and battled through two ties in the suspenseful second game. The Bearkats won a tension-filled first game, 2-0.
Sam Houston jumped out to 2-0 lead in the second inning of game two with Brodie Quinlan and Ellie Grill each delivering run-scoring singles, but the Wildcats immediately responded behind a two-run shot by
Olivia Taylor (3).
Mercedes Eichelberger scored on Taylor's hit as part of a 4-for-5, two run performance that lifted her season batting average to an ACU-leading .336.
ACU doubled its lead 4-2 on
Sammie Shelander's two-run single in the fifth, but was forced to rally again an inning later with Taylor driving in a third run to put the Wildcats ahead, 5-4.
The Bearkats grabbed their final lead of the contest, 6-5, on Emily Telg's two-run homer to left-center field with two gone in the sixth.
The Wildcats, however, displayed great resolve as their first three batters of the seventh reached base.
Avery Miloch led off with a double vs. Emma Guindon, pitching in relief of starter Daryn Grams.
Miranda Lista followed with a walk, and a shortstop throwing error on a ball put in play by
Shaylee Alani resulted in a 6-6 score.
One batter later, Hoffman singled home pinch runner
Isabel Martinez for the eventual game-winner.
White's seventh inning included a pair of ground balls to
Matti Reiling at third base and foul fly out caught by Taylor in left field.
Game One | Sam Houston 2, ACU 0
A two-out, sixth-inning home run by Hannah Scheaffer broke up a scoreless pitchers' duel and delivered the Bearkats a 2-0 victory over ACU in the series lid lifter.
Nielsen started the pivotal frame with two fly outs, but a throwing error kept the inning alive for the Bearkats' backstop who cracked a shot over the left-field wall. The round-tripper was Schaeffer's third of the spring.
ACU countered with only three hits vs. Emma Guidon, who retired the final nine batters she faced for her fourth shutout of 2023.
Eichelberger led off the game with a single but got no farther than second base. Alani recorded ACU's subsequent singles, but unfortunately, her support went a combined 0-for-3 while she was aboard.
Sam Houston was flustered by Nielsen through the first 5.2 innings. The Bakersfield native left the bases loaded in the fifth on her 10th flyout of the game. Haleigh Carter, Emily Telg and Ellie Grill all singled with one away, then Miloch snared a big second out, catching a liner off the bat of Tricia Yarotsky at third base. Elia Hebel ended the inning with a fly ball to Eichelberger in center.
Earlier, infielders Miloch, Alani and Hoffman spun a double play to wipe out a leadoff single in the second, and in the fourth, Nielsen induced a ground ball (one of five) to escape a two-on, two-out jam.
Nielsen's runs were both unearned as she scattered six hits in as many innings. Twelve of her outs were caught by her outfield trio of Taylor, Eichelberger and Rote, who only have one combined error through 19 WAC contests.
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Today's games started two hours early because of expected severe thunderstorms Friday night.
The two sides complete their series noon Saturday.
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