The Wildcats were on the road this past weekend where they played Texas A&M, resulting in a series loss, 0-3.
In game one Friday night, the Aggies run-ruled ACU in the fourth inning, creating a final score of 0-18.
“At different points in the series, we saw a lot of different players step up to the challenge,” head coach Abigail Farler said.
Riley White, sophomore pitcher from Thorndale, pitched for the Wildcats and lasted for four innings. White tallied one strikeout, four balls and nine runs within eight hits. Hannah Benevides, freshman pitcher from Deer Park, then came into pitch in the bottom of the fourth, giving Texas A&M seven more runs to close out the game.
The Aggies started off early in the second inning by gaining two runs to put them out barely in front of the Wildcats. Then in the third inning, Texas A&M scored two more runs, bringing them to four total runs.
In the fourth inning is where the Aggies started to pull ahead. Texas A&M managed to score 14 runs with no outs until the end of the inning. Three of the runs the Aggies scored were based on errors the Wildcats made, giving them unearned runs.
In game two Saturday afternoon, the Wildcats stepped it up but it was not good enough for the Aggie offense, giving ACU the loss, 1-9.
Sidney Holman-Mansell, graduate pitcher from Belton, was in to pitch for the Wildcats until the fourth inning, where ACU was run-ruled again. Holman-Mansell gained four strikeouts, nine walks and tallied nine runs in six hits.
“Statistically, the stats are not going to show it,” Farler said. “But Sidney pitched really well through a lot of adversity. If you go back and look at the film, her pitches were pretty filthy, she just didn’t get a break.”
The Aggies started off strong in the first inning where they gained four runs in just the first inning on back-to-back plays. Then in the second inning, Texas A&M tallied two more runs by an error and wild pitch, putting them six runs above the Wildcats.
ACU started to make some moves by scoring one run in the top of the third inning on a wild pitch to put them on the board.
The Aggies scored one more run in the bottom of the third inning once again on an error by the Wildcats. Then in the fourth inning, Texas A&M scored two more runs, bringing them to be eight runs ahead of ACU, causing the game to end.
In game three Sunday afternoon, ACU did not give up and closed the margins with Texas A&M, but still received the loss, 2-5.
For the first time this season, Laurén Schiek, graduate pitcher from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, started for the Wildcats giving up three runs on five hits. Holman-Mansell later came in to relieve Schiek, where she gained three strikeouts and two runs on three hits.
“We went with a different pitching strategy to give a new look,” Farler said. “Giving Laurén a start switched up the pace. She is more of a junk ball, slower velocity and so it was fun starting like that then putting her in a heavy role and I think she started amazing.”
The Aggies started off with a home run to center field in the second inning, putting them up by two runs. Later that inning, they gained one more run by a grounded-out RBI.
In the third inning, the Wildcats gained a run when Calie Burris, graduate infielder from Haltom, was hit by a pitch and Sadie Eichelberger, junior outfielder from Tremonton, Utah, was able to walk home. Then in the next play, a sacrifice fly ball was hit by Avery Miloch, sophomore catcher from Georgetown, and allowed Miranda Lista, freshman catcher from Chino Hills, California, to score, closing the score gap, 2-3.
The Aggies were able to tally up two more runs in the fourth inning, bringing them to the final score of 2-5.
“We see the intensity we have to play, no matter who we play,” Farler said. “We were more than capable of playing more than what we did this past weekend. So I think the girls are going to be hungry for the rest of the season, playing the best ACU softball we can.”
The Wildcats head home for their second conference matchup against Lamar on Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 12 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday’s game streaming on ESPN+.
