The softball team managed to win one in a three-game series against first place McNeese State University in Louisiana this weekend.
The Wildcats won the first game against McNeese with a final score of 4-2, handing the Cowgirls their first conference loss of the season. McNeese got off to a head start with two runs in the third before ACU put one on the board in fourth, when senior Casey-May Huff managed to reach first base on a fielder’s choice, allowing sophomore Brianna Barnhill to score.
Junior Alli Spivey scored an RBI single in the top of the sixth, tying the game at 2-2, then senior Demi McNulty reached on an error as both Spivey and Huff scored, making the final score 4-2.
Redshirt sophomore Hannah Null pitched the complete game, allowing two runs on five hits. She also walked five and struck out two.
The second game ended in a close loss for ACU. McNeese scored twice in the first inning before sophomore Peyton Hedrick smashed a two-run homer in the third to tie the game. McNeese came back to score again in the fifth on an RBI single, but the Wildcats answered with a double by Hedrick to tie the game again at 3-3.
The game went into extra innings before the Cowgirls managed to score in the 10th inning to wrap up the game at 4-3.
Huff started the game and put in 4.1-innings of work with three runs, five hits and two walks before senior Julia Montoya relieved her. Montoya pitched 1.2-innings, giving up just two hits, until Null finished the game with 3.1-innings, two hits, one run and two strikeouts.
The final game on Saturday ended with a 5-1 loss for the Wildcats, but Hedrick managed to smash another home run, making her season total seven. Only three ACU players managed to get a hit, including Hedrick, McNulty and sophomore Holly Neese.
The Wildcats used three pitchers in the game, starting with freshman Allison Turner, who threw 1.1-innings and gave up three runs on two hits. Montoya came in next for 1.2-innings, giving up two runs on one hit, before Null finished the last three innings with one hit and three strikeouts.
ACU’s current record is 13-17 overall and 7-5 in the Southland. They face the University of the Incarnate Word next Friday and Saturday in Abilene at Poly Wells field.
