HOUSTON – Entering this afternoon's doubleheader, HBU was 12-1 when leading after four innings, but visiting Abilene Christian came back in the late innings twice to sweep the Huskies in a doubleheader, 4-3 and 5-1, Friday from Husky Field.
Sophomore outfielder
Cecilia Bauer went 4-for-5 with a run to lead HBU in the twinbill.
In game one, ACU scored first as the conference's leader in triples, Taylor Brown, hit her 11
th three-bagger of the season to start things off in the top of the first. She scored on the very next play, as Peyton Hedrick reached on an error.
HBU took a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the frame as
Shay Orsak and
Victoria Granchelli both scored on wild pitches. The Huskies increased their lead to 3-1 as
Nicole Shedd's sacrifice fly to center brought home
Cecilia Bauer.
The Wildcats tied the game at three apiece in the top of the fifth as Hedrick and Brianna Barnhill hit back-to-back home runs. ACU took a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth as Kaleigh Lightsey led off the inning with a double and was replaced with pinch runner Lakin Carpenter, who scored on a Huskies' error. The Wildcats tried to get another run across, but
Libby Brown threw out Melissa Rodriguez trying to score from second.
HBU came close to tying the game in the bottom of the seventh, as Bauer led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on an Orsak sacrifice bunt. Bauer stole third but, with two outs in the inning, the Wildcats got a pop-up to end the game.
Bauer went 2-for-2 with a run scored to lead HBU. Orsak, V. Granchelli, and Brown had a hit apiece.
Laci Belovsky (9-13) took the complete-game loss, as she allowed seven hits, four runs (three earned), and one walk with three strikeouts.
Three different players had two hits to lead ACU, with Hedrick and Barnhill each registering an RBI. Emily Seidel started and got a no-decision, allowing three hits, three runs, and two walks with a pair of strikeouts in 4.1 innings. Julia Montoya (7-11) earned the win in the relief appearance, giving up two hits and three walks in 2.2 innings.
In game two, it was HBU who drew first blood, as, with Orsak at second, she scored as V. Granchelli reached base safely on a Wildcat error.
HBU hurler
Shannon O'Connor had a perfect game going until giving up a walk to Brown, who led off the top of the fourth. O'Connor's first hit of the game also broke up her shutout, as pinch hitter Holly Vanckhoven hit an RBI single to right that brought home pinch runner Tori Valdivia to tie the game at one in the top of the fifth.
The Wildcats erupted for a four-run, five-hit sixth inning to lead the Huskies, 5-1.
Bauer and Orsak each had two-hit games to lead HBU, while Brown and
Michaela Granchelli each had a hit. O'Connor (3-10) took the loss in the circle, as she allowed six hits, five runs, and two walks with three strikeouts.
Six different Wildcats registered a hit, while five different players each had an RBI. Montoya (8-11) earned her second win of the afternoon in the complete-game effort, as she allowed six hits, one unearned run, and one walk.
HBU (13-31 overall, 5-19 SLC) and ACU (13-33, 7-19) conclude the series Saturday at noon. Immediately following the game, HBU's four seniors will be honored:
Michaela Granchelli,
Victoria Granchelli,
Melissa Herman, and
Erica Schmalenberger. Also, the first 50 fans in attendance will receive either a water bottle or rally towel courtesy of series sponsor Houston Federal Credit Union.
