Softball capped a forgettable season Saturday as it was swept in its final season series against HBU.
The Wildcats finished the year at 13-31 overall and 6-21 in the conference putting them 10th in the Southland Conference. They also finished with the worst overall record in ACU softball history. The previous record was back in 2015 when they went 14-33.
The Wildcats three-game series against Houston Baptist was full of scoring, but for just one team in particular. Friday’s double-header featured the Lady Huskies winning both games in opposite ways.
The first game ended early as HBU took a commanding 10-2 lead after just six innings. ACU finished with four errors, and sophomore pitcher Samantha Bradley grabbed her 18th loss of the season.
The Huskies were in full control after a six-run second inning, giving them a 7-1 advantage. The Wildcats failed to answer back as they were held to just four hits.
Game two was a much more competitive matchup that saw extra innings. In the low-scoring affair, both teams entered the 8th inning with a run each. However, freshman catcher Caitlyn Brockway for HBU ended the game with a walk-off solo home run in center field.
Offense finally caught some action in the final game of the season Saturday. The Wildcats scored five runs on 10 hits, but it proved to not be enough.
ACU fell in its final regular season game, 8-5, after the Lady Huskies scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Freshman pitcher Jillian Hefner grabbed the loss at the circle for the Wildcats to finish 1-4 in her collegiate season debut.
Head coach Bobby Reeves will have all his pieces back for next season as every roster player is a junior or younger, making the Wildcats one of the youngest teams in the Southland Conference.
Sophomore pitcher Samantha Bradley finished the season with the best batting average for the Wildcats at .317 and the most innings pitched at the circle with a 5.90 ERA.
Meanwhile, sophomore pitcher Callie Burris finished the 2019 season with the best ERA for Wildcat pitchers at 4.70 and a 6-8 record.
Because the Wildcats finished outside the top eight teams in the conference, ACU will not be invited to the Southland Conference tournament.
