COMMERCE — The ACU Wildcats dropped two games Saturday at the Lion Invitational, falling 2-1 to Rutgers before losing to Iowa, 17-4.
The Wildcats (0-9 on the season) will play the hosts from East Texas A&M (formerly Texas A&M-Commerce) at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in their final tournament game. Next weekend, ACU will be in Norman, Oklahoma, for the Oklahoma Tournament. There, it will take on Witchita State (twice), third-ranked and four-time defending national champion Oklahoma (twice), and Tulsa.
The five games this weekend, the five next weekend, the five the weekend of Feb. 28-March 2, three games at Seattle (March 7-8 to begin Western Athletic Conference play), one game against Oregon State (March 9), and two at No. 24 Oregon (March 9-10) are part of a start to the 2025 season that will see the Wildcats play their first 26 games away from home. ACU doesn't have a game at Wells Field in Abilene until a three-game WAC series against Southern Utah, March 14-15.
Here's a brief recap of Saturday's games:
Rutgers 2, ACU 1 — ACU trailed 1-0 through three innings before tying the score at 1-1 when Elizabeth Schaefer scored on a fielding error by the Knights' shortstop Siera Hoekstra. The Knights scored the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the inning on an unusual play as Riley Hwang scored on a steal of home. The plate umpire ruled her safe on an obstruction call, giving Rutgers a 2-1 lead. ACU had the tying run on third with one out in the top fifth, but Rutgers pitcher Ella Harrison recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat. ACU also had the tying run on second with one out in the sixth and couldn't get the runner home. Lina Russo pitched well for the Wildcats, allowing just four hits, two runs (one earned), and one walk while striking out three batters in a complete-game performance.
Iowa 17, ACU 4 – The Hawkeyes scored 16 runs in the first three innings on their way to a run-rule victory over the Wildcats. Iowa's Hannah Lindsay hit two three-run home runs, and Devin Simon hit a grand slam in the third inning as Iowa pounded out 12 hits in just four innings. ACU scored first on an Audrey Lacina RBI single in the top of the first, then plated two more in the third, with two coming in on a Rachel Cook double down the right field line.
