ACU’s start to Southland Conference play began rough as they lost a doubleheader to Incarnate Word on Saturday.
The Wildcats lost the first game 7-6 after having a three-run lead in the top of the sixth inning with freshman pitcher Hannah Null. Null gave up one run in the sixth and seventh inning, resulting in senior Peyton Mosley coming in to cover for her.
However, the Cardinals kept fighting and pulled out the win as they came back and scored three runs in the seventh inning.
Top hitters for the Wildcats were Lyndi Smith, Courtney Flanary, Taylor Brown and Paige Stevens as they each contributed two hits and Ashley Nolan had one. Stevens scored three runs as Flanary contributed two RBI’s.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Cardinals made quick moves as they jumped to a 3-0 start in the bottom of the first inning.
Taylor Brown hit a single to center field as Ashley Nolan scored the first run for the Wildcats in the second inning. Lyndi Smith had an RBI as Paige Stevens scored the second point in the third inning.
The Cardinals continued to score as they earned one run in the fourth and three runs in the sixth. ACU made its final score in the sixth inning as Taylor Brown hit a single, advancing Ashley Nolan to second and Kaylee Crozier running home for the last point.
“On Saturday, we didn’t play our best, but we did a lot of things well, too,” junior Emily Seidel said. “We just didn’t maintain control of the game through all seven innings, and that gave the other team momentum to come out on top. So on Sunday we wanted to make sure that they never had an advantage.”
Sunday’s game was altogether a fresh start for ACU as Emily Seidel pitched a complete-game shutout to earn the Wildcats a 3-0 victory against the Cardinals.
“Incarnate Word had some pretty good hitters, so my job on the mound was to make the ball move and not give them anything decent to hit,” Seidel said.
Stevens scored one run in the third inning and one in the fifth inning. Smith followed another run for the Wildcats as Flanary hit a triple to the right field. The Cardinals made no runs as Seidel only allowed three hits and one walk.
“Our defense was solid on Sunday,” Seidel said. “We had some amazing plays in both the infield and outfield, and we didn’t let up once we got ahead. At the plate, we were aggressive and swung at the right pitches, and we took advantage of their mistakes.”
