Friday, May 1
St. George, UT
3 p.m. (CT)
Abilene Christian
7-39, 4-12
13
at
10
Utah Tech
16-32, 3-13
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 19 | 1 |
| Utah Tech | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 13 | 1 |
Photo by: Brooklyn Jensen
Wildcats Explode in Extra-Inning Win, Split Doubleheader
5/1/2026 10:37:00 PM | Softball
ST. GEORGE, Utah — The Abilene Christian softball team (7-40, 4-13 WAC) split its doubleheader against Utah Tech (17-32, 4-13 WAC) at Karl Brooks Field, first winning 13–10 in a thrilling, extra-inning contest before falling 6–3 in the second game.
The split means both teams' fate comes down to the regular season finale on Saturday. The winner claims the sixth and final spot into next week's University Credit Union WAC Softball Tournament in Stephenville, while the loser's season is over. First pitch on Saturday is at 2 p.m. CT.
ACU junior Audrey Lacina pushed her hitting streak to nine and has now reached base safely in 13 consecutive games with a marvelous day at the plate. In the two games, Lacina combined to go 6-of-9 with 4 runs and 3 RBI. Senior Elizabeth Schaefer also put on a phenomenal performance as she went 3-for-5 in game one, and 2-for-4 in game two. The Wildcats combined for 31 hits with 11 going for extra-bases on Friday.
Game 1: ACU 13, Utah Tech 10 (8 innings)
In the first game, the Wildcats achieved a season-high with 19 hits, including three home runs, to edge past the Trailblazers 13-10 in 8 innings. It was ACU's first extra-inning win since Feb. 2023.
The Wildcats' offense ignited with a 5-run 2nd inning. The first eight batters reached base, and Jadyn Dawson's double began the scoring by driving in Audrey Lacina from first. Kyana Lipardo's RBI single gave ACU a 2-1 lead, before Ciana Arguijo drove in Emalee Romero on a fielder's choice. Ari Maxwell then doubled to left center, plating two more runs and adding to her team-high RBI total.
Utah Tech responded with a four-run effort, highlighted by Kinley Pappas's three-run homer, making it a 5-5 tie after two innings.
In the 4th inning, Valerie Ornelas and Lacina each hit solo home runs to put ACU back in front. It was Lacina's first collegiate long ball as part of a career-best 4-hit, 4-run game.
Trailing by a run in the 6th, ACU put back-to-back runners on via walk and then Lacina came through again by lacing a 2-out, 2-RBI doubel to right to score Emerson Meggers and Keyauna Thompson. Dawson once again drove in Lacina on the next at-bat, pushing the Cats ahead 10-8.
However, the Trailblazers again equalized with two in the 6th and after both teams stranded a runner in scoring position in the 7th, the game extended to extra innings.
On the second pitch of the 8th, Meggers launched a ball deep to center and over the fence for the go-ahead run. ACU added a pair of runs on an Emalee Romero sacrifice fly and Lipardo's groundout to score pinch runner Kanon Goji. Ella Beeman finished off the win by going 3-up, 3-down in the bottom of the 8th.
Leah Meyer started for Abilene Christian, pitching 3 innings and allowing 6 earned runs on 6 hits, including a home run, while striking out 2 and walking 4. Makayla Valle came in as relief, pitching 2 innings, giving up 2 earned runs on 3 hits, and striking out 1. Ella Beeman closed out the game with 3 innings, surrendering 2 earned runs on 4 hits, achieving her first pitching win of the season. Collectively, the pitching staff threw a total of 146 pitches, with 88 of those being strikes.
Game 2: Utah Tech 6, ACU 3
The Wildcats tallied 12 hits, including five doubles, but were unable to overcome the Trailblazers' 14-hit offensive output. Utah Tech took an early lead in the first inning when Summer Sanderson homered to center field, bringing in two runs.
In the second inning, the Wildcats responded as Jadyn Dawson doubled to right center and later scored on a double by Kyana Lipardo, reducing the deficit to 2–1. Elizabeth Schaefer doubled in the third inning and was brought home by Valerie Ornelas's double to left center, tying the game at 2–2. However, in the fourth inning, Utah Tech regained the lead when Sadie Phillips singled and later scored on a hit by Kinley Pappas, making the score 3–2.
The sixth inning saw the Trailblazers extend their lead with three runs, including a triple by Phillips and an RBI double by Pappas, bringing the score to 6–2. Abilene Christian attempted a comeback in the seventh inning as Schaefer doubled and scored on a single by Ornelas, but the effort fell short.
Alissa Snipes pitched 3 2/3 innings for the Wildcats, allowing nine hits and three earned runs while striking out three batters. She threw a total of 68 pitches, 49 of which were strikes, and did not issue any walks. Ella Beenam came in relief, pitching 2 1/3 innings, surrendering five hits and three earned runs, with one strikeout.
The split means both teams' fate comes down to the regular season finale on Saturday. The winner claims the sixth and final spot into next week's University Credit Union WAC Softball Tournament in Stephenville, while the loser's season is over. First pitch on Saturday is at 2 p.m. CT.
ACU junior Audrey Lacina pushed her hitting streak to nine and has now reached base safely in 13 consecutive games with a marvelous day at the plate. In the two games, Lacina combined to go 6-of-9 with 4 runs and 3 RBI. Senior Elizabeth Schaefer also put on a phenomenal performance as she went 3-for-5 in game one, and 2-for-4 in game two. The Wildcats combined for 31 hits with 11 going for extra-bases on Friday.
Game 1: ACU 13, Utah Tech 10 (8 innings)
In the first game, the Wildcats achieved a season-high with 19 hits, including three home runs, to edge past the Trailblazers 13-10 in 8 innings. It was ACU's first extra-inning win since Feb. 2023.
The Wildcats' offense ignited with a 5-run 2nd inning. The first eight batters reached base, and Jadyn Dawson's double began the scoring by driving in Audrey Lacina from first. Kyana Lipardo's RBI single gave ACU a 2-1 lead, before Ciana Arguijo drove in Emalee Romero on a fielder's choice. Ari Maxwell then doubled to left center, plating two more runs and adding to her team-high RBI total.
Utah Tech responded with a four-run effort, highlighted by Kinley Pappas's three-run homer, making it a 5-5 tie after two innings.
In the 4th inning, Valerie Ornelas and Lacina each hit solo home runs to put ACU back in front. It was Lacina's first collegiate long ball as part of a career-best 4-hit, 4-run game.
Trailing by a run in the 6th, ACU put back-to-back runners on via walk and then Lacina came through again by lacing a 2-out, 2-RBI doubel to right to score Emerson Meggers and Keyauna Thompson. Dawson once again drove in Lacina on the next at-bat, pushing the Cats ahead 10-8.
However, the Trailblazers again equalized with two in the 6th and after both teams stranded a runner in scoring position in the 7th, the game extended to extra innings.
On the second pitch of the 8th, Meggers launched a ball deep to center and over the fence for the go-ahead run. ACU added a pair of runs on an Emalee Romero sacrifice fly and Lipardo's groundout to score pinch runner Kanon Goji. Ella Beeman finished off the win by going 3-up, 3-down in the bottom of the 8th.
Leah Meyer started for Abilene Christian, pitching 3 innings and allowing 6 earned runs on 6 hits, including a home run, while striking out 2 and walking 4. Makayla Valle came in as relief, pitching 2 innings, giving up 2 earned runs on 3 hits, and striking out 1. Ella Beeman closed out the game with 3 innings, surrendering 2 earned runs on 4 hits, achieving her first pitching win of the season. Collectively, the pitching staff threw a total of 146 pitches, with 88 of those being strikes.
Game 2: Utah Tech 6, ACU 3
The Wildcats tallied 12 hits, including five doubles, but were unable to overcome the Trailblazers' 14-hit offensive output. Utah Tech took an early lead in the first inning when Summer Sanderson homered to center field, bringing in two runs.
In the second inning, the Wildcats responded as Jadyn Dawson doubled to right center and later scored on a double by Kyana Lipardo, reducing the deficit to 2–1. Elizabeth Schaefer doubled in the third inning and was brought home by Valerie Ornelas's double to left center, tying the game at 2–2. However, in the fourth inning, Utah Tech regained the lead when Sadie Phillips singled and later scored on a hit by Kinley Pappas, making the score 3–2.
The sixth inning saw the Trailblazers extend their lead with three runs, including a triple by Phillips and an RBI double by Pappas, bringing the score to 6–2. Abilene Christian attempted a comeback in the seventh inning as Schaefer doubled and scored on a single by Ornelas, but the effort fell short.
Alissa Snipes pitched 3 2/3 innings for the Wildcats, allowing nine hits and three earned runs while striking out three batters. She threw a total of 68 pitches, 49 of which were strikes, and did not issue any walks. Ella Beenam came in relief, pitching 2 1/3 innings, surrendering five hits and three earned runs, with one strikeout.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Beeman, Ella (1-13)
L: Delany Wright (3-7)
Batting:
2B: Maxwell, Ari 1 ; Lacina, Audrey 1 ; Dawson, Jadyn 1
HR: Ornelas, Valerie 1 ; Meggers, Emerson 1 ; Lacina, Audrey 1
RBI: Arguijo, Ciana 1 ; Maxwell, Ari 2 ; Ornelas, Valerie 1 ; Meggers, Emerson 1 ; Lacina, Audrey 3 ; Dawson, Jadyn 2 ; Romero, Emalee 1 ; Lipardo, Kyana 2
SH: Arguijo, Ciana 1
SF: Romero, Emalee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Arguijo, Ciana 1 ; Ornelas, Valerie 1 ; Thompson, Keyauna 1 ; Meggers, Emerson 2 ; Lacina, Audrey 4 ; Dawson, Jadyn 1 ; Goji, Kanon 1 ; Romero, Emalee 1 ; Lipardo, Kyana 1
SB: Lipardo, Kyana 1
CS: Arguijo, Ciana 1
Batting:
2B: Kinley Pappas 2 ; Summer Sanderson 1
3B: Lakaiya-Braessia Kahahawai-Kekona 1
HR: Kinley Pappas 1
RBI: Kinley Pappas 4 ; Lakaiya-Braessia Kahahawai-Kekona 1 ; Summer Sanderson 2 ; Kennedy Embrey 1 ; Lauren Jones 2
SF: Summer Sanderson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sadie Phillips 2 ; Kinley Pappas 2 ; Lakaiya-Braessia Kahahawai-Kekona 1 ; Gabi Giroux 2 ; Summer Sanderson 1 ; Kennedy Embrey 1 ; Drew McKown 1
SB: Sadie Phillips 2 ; Maka Sonognini 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
4
H
4
RBI
3
AB
5
R
0
H
3
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballUTL
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
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