After seeing leads slip away twice on walk-off hits in the bottom of the seventh by the Wildcats, Sam Houston produced a 7-2 victory in the third and final game of its Southland softball series with Abilene Christian in Abilene Saturday.
Sam Houston lost the opening game of the series Friday 5-2 after holding a 2-1 lead for most of the game. The contest ended with a walk-off grand slam home run by third baseman Casey-May Huff.
Saturday's first game saw Sam Houston up 8-5 going into the bottom of the seventh only to have the Wildcats come back for a 9-8 win after a walk-off double and error.
In Saturday's nightcap, shortstop Tiffany Castillo accounted for three RBIs and second baseman Dani Allen added two more in the game as the Bearkats out-hit the Wildcast 11-5. Allen smacked run-scoring singles in the third and fifth innings. Castillo brought in a run with a single in the fifth and a two-run shot to left field in the seventh inning. Right fielder Samantha Belongia started the five-run fifth inning with a two-run triple.
Lindsey McLeod (now 8-10) limited the ACU women to five hits in seven innings. She struck out five Wildcats in her complete game performance.
In the opening game Saturday consecutive doubles by third baseman Breanna Homer, catcher Katie Doerre and Castillo sparked a three-run rally in the top of the seventh to put the Kats up 8-5.
After right fielder Brianna Barnhill led off the bottom of the frame with a triple, the Kats picked up two quick outs. Second baseman Demi McNulty was hit by a pitch moved to second on a passed ball to set in motion two at bats that doomed the Sam women.
First center fielder Taylor Brown singled to score one run. Then left fielder Miranda Herron doubled to score two runs and the winning run cross the plate on an error.
Down 3-0 after three, Sam Houston rang up five runs in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI-double by Castillo, a Wildcat fielding error and a three-run homer to left center by designated player Hannah Marino. ACU posted two run in the fifth to tie the game 5-5 before the offense-loaded seventh inning.
Taylor Atkinson (7-11) was the losing pitcher in the opening game. She pitched two-and-a-third innings in relief of starter Jordan Franks. ACU totaled 12 hits and left nine runners stranded while the Kats totaled 11 hits and left seven on base. Homer, Doerre and Castillo each produced two hits.
Abilene Christian ups its record to 21-19 for the year and 14-7 in Southland Conference play with the series victory. Sam Houston now stands 15-27 and 7-11 in the league. Sam Houston plays host to Incarnate Word in the Bearkats' final home Southland Conference series of the 2016 season next Friday and Saturday. The Kats will end the regular season with a three-game series at Stephen F. Austin in two weeks.
