OREM, Utah - The Abilene Christian softball team scored the first 6 runs of the game, and held off a late Utah Valley charge to win the rubber match of the series, 7-6 on Saturday afternoon.
The victory pushed the Wildcats to an 11-29 record overall, but more importantly 7-8 in the WAC. ACU solidified its hold on 5th place in the league with nine conference games remaining on the Wildcats' schedule.
The top four teams earn a bye into the double elimination portion of the WAC Tournament in May.
Five different ACU batters drove in runs, and their 10 hits were scattered among eight players.
ACU broke up a scoreless game in the third with 6 runs kicked off by a
Catrin Hoffman double to right field, plating
Emily Berryhill. After a walk loaded the bases,
Isabel Martinez came through with a 2-RBI double to force a Wolverines' pitching change.
The Wildcats cashed in on a Utah Valley mistake, turning a sacrifice fly to center into two runs with Martinez running home from third, and
Audrey Lacina scoring off a throwing error by the center fielder.
"In the third we capitalized on mistakes and strung it together with runners in scoring position multiple times," ACU head coach Jo Koons said.
In the fourth,
Elizabeth Schaefer hammered a solo shot to right giving her a home run in two straight games.
Ella Beeman walked into the circle in place of starter
Lina Russo to start the bottom of the fifth with a 7-5 lead. Beeman threw two scoreless frames before Utah Valley began the seventh with a lead-off homer to pull within a run.
Beeman then forced an infield popout, and a threw a strikeout. Down to their final out, the Wolverines doubled to left center to put the winning run at the plate. But Beeman, a sophomore from Lowell, Arkansas, got a groundout to Lacina at shortstop to end the game and preserve the victory.
"I am super proud of Ella for coming into help close out the series with a win," said Koons. "Even after a home run in the seventh, she went right back to work, trusted her defense and shut down Utah Valley's offense."
NEXT UP: ACU has next weekend off from WAC competition, but will travel to Waco for a doubleheader against Baylor on Saturday, April 12, beginning at 2 p.m.
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