Follow @HBUSoftball

HOUSTON – The HBU softball team was unable to solve ACU starting pitcher Hannah Null, dropping an 8-1 decision in the series finale between the Huskies and Wildcats at Husky Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Wildcats (18-13, 8-1 SLC) opened the game with a pair of singles and a double steal to put runners on second and third with no outs. HBU (7-16, 0-9 SLC) starter Emily Mueller struck out the next batter and induced a foul out to put two outs on the board but ACU's Casey-May Huff singled up the middle on an 0-2 pitch to bring two across for an early 2-0 ACU lead.
 
The Huskies' first hit came in the third as freshman Megan Hiers drove a double off the center field wall to lead off the inning. Hiers was stranded at second after a strike out and a pair of pop-ups. The Wildcats picked up two more runs in the top of the fourth on a Kaleigh Singleton home run with two outs.
 
ACU added two more runs in the fifth on singles off the bats of Brianna Barnhill and Braegan Hamilton to extend the lead to 6-0. The Huskies' Cecilia Bauer put HBU on the board, leading off the bottom of the sixth with a home run over the left field wall. Abilene Christian picked up its final two runs in the top of the seventh on a Tori Poullard pinch hit home run that plated Nicole Matise.
 
Bauer was 1-for-3 at the plate, hitting her third home run of the season. For the series, the senior was 3-for-8 with a hit in each game. She has now hit safely in 19 of the Huskies' 23 games this season. Hiers was 2-for-3 in the game with a single and a double.
 
Mueller started for HBU in the circle, throwing four and a third innings and allowing six earned runs on six hits and two walks with one strikeout. The senior's record now stands at 3-11 on the year. Shae Bibby allowed two earned runs in two and two thirds innings of relief work.
 
The Huskies will face cross-town foe Texas Southern on Tuesday, March 27, at Memorial Park for a single game starting at 4:00 p.m.