ABILENE – Abilene Christian dropped a pair of two-run games on Friday, falling to California Baptist 3-1 and 7-5.
After allowing an unearned run in the top of the first,
Lina Russo shut down the Lancers until the seventh when CBU pushed across two runs.
Russo struck out five batters in her complete-game outing.
ACU tied the score in the bottom of the first when
Kaydee Bennett singled and scored on a triple by
Avery Miloch.
The Wildcats came up with six hits in the game with
Olivia Marble,
Sammie Shelander,
Riley White and Miranda Lista adding singles.
CBU jumped out to a 6-0 lead before ACU got on the board in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI single by Shelander and a two-run single by Miloch.
CBU went ahead 7-3 in the top of the fourth.
The Wildcats rallied in the bottom of the seventh when Miloch doubled in a run and another scored on a sacrifice fly by White.
Bubba Rote singled and
Catrin Hoffman walked to load the bases with two outs before CBU wriggled free.
ACU had nine hits, led by Miloch and Rote with two each. Bennett, Marble, Shelander, White
and Skylar Padgett also contributed hits.
White allowed one unearned run in 4.2 innings of relief.
Ella Beeman took the loss.
Before the game, ACU honored seniors and graduates Miloch,
Karli Manney,
Talia Nielsen,
Randi Davila, White,
Sydney Kaiser and Padgett. Former player and current director of operations
Paige Harris also was honored.
The teams meet for the finale at noon on Saturday.
