The Sam Houston Bearkats (10-23, 4-5 conference) faced the Abilene Christian Wildcats (17-15, 8-4 conference) in a three-game series at home for the first time this season in their second conference matchup of the year.
Game 1
In game one of the series and Friday’s double-header, the Bearkats fell in a 12-2 defeat in five innings.
Junior starting pitcher Regan Dunn took the mound for the Bearkats. At the top of the 2nd, Wildcats freshman shortstop Rose Gonzales, sophomore infielder Miranda Davila and junior outfielder Mercedes Eichelberger scored giving them the lead of 3-0 early on in the game.
The Bearkats had a pitching change where sophomore Christine Billmeier stepped in for Dunn at the top of the 3rd. Davila, Gonzales and freshman shortstop Logan Gaspar scored three more runs, bringing the score 6-0 Wildcats lead.
During the top of the 4th, freshman outfielder McKenley Clark scored for Abilene Christian, making the score 7-0.
At the top of the 5th, Wildcats’ graduate infielder Calie Burris and sophomore third baseman Matti Reiling both homered. Burris’ homer allowed for sophomore pitcher Riley White and freshman catcher Miranda Lista to also score in the 5th inning. Reiling’s home run was able to bring sophomore catcher Sydney Kaiser home for a run, making the score 12-0.
The Bearkats scored their only two runs when sophomore infielder Emily Telg hit a double to right center allowing for freshman outfielder Jordan Peno and sophomore utility player Avery Tumey to score.
Graduate pitcher Sidney Holman for the Wildcats received the win for the game and Dunn was given the loss.
Game 2
Both teams were neck and neck in game two of the series with the Wildcats scoring the first run of the game in the top of the 1st. Eichelberger scored the first run for the Wildcats of the night with the help of Burris’ single to right field.
The Bearkats scored in the bottom of the 2nd which tied the game. Sophomore infielder Kylie Hobbs was able to score a run for the Bearkats when freshman outfielder Haleigh Carter doubled.
In the top of the 3rd, Wildcat Burris homered to right field making the score 2-1. The Wildcats kept the lead until the Bearkats came up to bat at the bottom of the 5th.
The Bearkats took the lead in the bottom of the 5th when Carter scored a run after freshman utility player Brodie Quinlan flew out to center field. Freshman infielder Allie Saville was able to run home to score the second run of the 5th inning for the Bearkats.
At the end of the 5th inning, the score was 3-2 in favor of the Bearkats. Abilene Christian would go on to score two runs in the top of the 7th securing the win for game two.
Holman again received the win for the game and sophomore pitcher Mika Vento for Sam Houston to take the loss.
Game 3
In the final game of the series against Abilene Christian, the Bearkats kept fans on the edge of their seats in a nail-biting 6-5 victory to break the team’s 13-game losing streak with a 6-5 final score.
The Wildcats bat first with freshman pitcher Brailey Wasik for the Bearkats as the starting pitcher. Bearkat defense was able to prevent Abilene Christian from scoring in both the 1st and 2nd inning. Wasik was an asset in game three in preventing the Wildcats from scoring, she caught a pop-fly from Reiling and a ground ball to center field.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Wasik hit a homerun to left field to open the game’s scoring.
At the top of the 3rd, Burris grounded out to second base allowing for Lista to score, bringing the score to 1-1. In the bottom of the 3rd, Dunn was able to score a run bringing the score to 2-1.
Freshman outfielder Isabel Martinez for the Wildcats scored when Lista singled in the top of the 4th. With the bases loaded, White brought home two runners to give the Wildcats a 4-2 lead.
Sophomore utility player Ellie Grill filled in to pinch run for Wasik and sophomore infielder Kenzi Lange also subbed in for freshman catcher Kelsey Bunch in the bottom of the 4th.
In the same inning, Grill scored when Telg bats and advances to second base. Carter, Peno and Telg all scored a run when Quinlan hit a double allowing for the runners on base to advance. The four runs made in the bottom of the 4th set the Bearkats up to take the lead with a score of 6-4.
Vento relieved Wasik at the top of the 5th to pitch for the Bearkats. During this inning, softball Head Coach Garrett Valis was ejected due to a disagreement at second base.
Both teams’ defense was able to prevent the other from scoring any more runs resulting in a win in game three for the Sam Houston Bearkats. Vento received the win for the game and Holman took the loss.
The Bearkats’ will travel north Wednesday, March 30 at 1:00 p.m. to take on the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks for their next game. before facing off against rival Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks.
