ABILENE — The Sam Houston softball team's offense exploded in a doubleheader sweep of Abilene Christian in the first two games of a three-game series at Poly Wells Field Friday.
 
The Bearkats (10-21 overall, 7-7 SLC) scored a combined 22 runs on 31 hits. Sophomore Kyndal Kutac had an impressive day at the plate, going 5 for 9 with seven RBIs and a home run.
 
The two teams will conclude the series with a single game Saturday at noon.
 
Game 1
Sam Houston 13, ACU 10
 
Sam Houston rallied after losing a seven-run lead to top Abilene Christian 13-11 in the opener of a three-game Southland Conference series at Poly Wells Field on Friday afternoon.
 
The Bearkats jumped out to a 7-0 advantage in the first three innings.
 
Sophomore Kyndal Kutac drove in the first run on a single, and senior Brooke Malia brought in two more with a hit to center field. Freshman Ellie Grill made it 5-0 with a two-run blast in the second, her first of the season.
 
Malia once again singled in the third. This time she came around to score when freshman Hannah Scheaffer launched her first home run of the season to push the lead to 7-0.
 
The Wildcats answered with five runs in the bottom of the third before Kutac added another RBI single in the fourth to make it 8-5.
 
ACU tied it with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Sam Houston retook the lead at 11-8 with three runs in the fifth. Freshman Emily Telg led off with a single and scored on an error. Junior Sheridan Fisher ripped an RBI single and stole home for the third run of the frame.
 
The Kats added two big insurance runs in the top of the seventh on a two-run double by Kutac, who went 3 for 4 with four RBIs.
 
Freshman Mika Vento earned the win in the circle to improve to 4-4 on the season after pitching 3 2/3 innings of relief.
 
Game 2
Sam Houston 9, ACU 3
Sophomore Kyndal Kutac drove in three runs, and senior Megan McDonald and junior Sheridan Fisher knocked in two RBIs apiece to lead Sam Houston to a 9-3 victory in game two of a doubleheader Friday.
 
The Bearkats jumped out to a 3-0 lead with RBI singles by McDonald and Kutac. Kutac was later thrown out trying to steal second, but McDonald came in to score.
 
Fisher added an RBI ground out in the second inning, and Kutac capped her big day at the plate with a two-run home run in the fifth to push the lead to 6-3.
 
Fisher and McDonald drove in runs in the sixth, and sophomore Regan Dunn ripped an RBI double in the seventh to finish the scoring.
 
Dunn got the win in the circle to improve to 5-6 on the season by pitching 3 1/3 innings in relief.