ABILENE - Catrin Hoffman drove in four runs,
Lina Russo threw her 13th complete game of the season, and Abilene Christian earned a series win over Tarleton State with a 5-2 victory Saturday afternoon.
The Wildcats (13-32, 9-9) climbed back to .500 in the WAC for the first time since March 15 after they swept Southern Utah. ACU won two-of-three games over the Texans, which are in second place in the conference. The Wildcats moved up to a tie for fourth with Seattle U.
"I"m incredibly proud of them. We talk all the time about the power is in the response, and this team loves to respond," first-year ACU head coach Jo Koons said. "After our second game [Friday] I told them, 'Let's respond from the get-go,' and we did."
Just as they had in the first two games of the series, the Wildcats scored first on Saturday. A double by
Valerie Ornelas put two runners on for Hoffman, who singled through the left side scoring
Elizabeth Schaefer.
But, Tarleton State answered with a towering home run in the second inning to go in front, 2-1.
Both pitchers --
Lina Russo for ACU, and Shelby Schultz for Tarleton State -- then settled in and quickly mowed through the opposing line-up.
Audrey Lacina started the bottom of the 5th with a double to right center, which was followed by a
Taylor Bachmeyer single.
Lacina ran home on a double from Schaefer, making it a 2-all ball game.
After a foul out just to the left of the catcher put two away, Hoffman stepped to the plate.
She belted a 1-2 pitch deep to right for a 3-run blast, raising her right hand into the air as she rounded first base. The hit was Hoffman's first home run of the season, and her 4 RBI for the day are her most in her three years as a Wildcat.
With a 5-2 lead in hand, Russo finished the job in the 6th and 7th, and her defense turned a 4-6-3 double play --
Emalee Romero to Lacina to Schaefer -- to end the game.
"I'm proud of our staff for continuing to pour into our student-athletes every single day, and encouraging them to stick to the process and keep getting better," said Koons.
Russo (8-17 pitching record) allowed just two hits outside of hte second inning, struck out three, and needed only 86 pitches to go the distance.
"Her ability to move the ball and adjust as hitters adjust is hard to teach," said Koons. "She keeps getting better at it, and feels more confident."
ACU has now won back-to-back WAC series, and continues to over-achieve compared to what people thought they could do. In the preseason coaches poll, the Wildcats were predicted to finish 8th out of nine teams in the conference. After this weekend's action, they are tied for 4th and one game behind California Baptist for 3rd.
"I'm not afraid of being the underdog, and I don't think they are either. If we continue to put in the work we'll be in a good place."
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