California Baptist University
26-22, 13-6
Abilene Christian University
16-27, 9-13
Lancers Ean Series Win Over ACU On Friday Night
4/26/2024 5:53:00 PM | Softball
ABILENE, TX - A pitcher's duel and an offensive exchange went the way of California Baptist on Friday night as the Lancers earned the series win over Abilene Christian, 3-1 and 7-5, respectively. The wins propel CBU to a 14-6 record in Western Athletic Conference play (27-22 overall), and at least two games clear of the third-place jumble. ACU drops to 8-14 (16-28) and into a bit of a predicament as they are in a four-team mix for the final two spots in the upcoming WAC Tournament.
GAME ONE: CBU 3 - ACU 1
The Lancers opened the game with an early score, plating Priscilla Estrada on a fielder's choice to go up 1-0. The Wildcats would answer back immediately, though, plating their solo run in the bottom of the first. A pitchers duel ensued after that as both teams were scoreless for the next five innings, allowing just four hits from the second through the sixth innings combined.
That streak would be broken in the top of the seventh when pinch runner Bobbiann Pratt and Sydney Soto were brought home by a clutch two-out, two-RBI hit by Maya Martinez.
Presley Hosick was incredible in the circle for the Lancers, earning her 10th win of the season after tossing another complete game gem. She struck out a pair, allowing just one earned and stranding four Wildcats. The stellar outing drops her season ERA to a minuscule 2.31.
GAME TWO: CBU 7 - ACU 5
The Friday night rematch saw scoring go way up, but again, starting in the top of the first with the Lancers jumping on the scoreboard early. This time, Kalena Burns put her eighth home run of the season into the right field net, scoring Merissa Borkowski to take an early 2-0 lead.
The Lancers piled on in the third as six of the first seven batters reached safely courtesy of three doubles, a single, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch. Kayla Lyon, Burns, and Martinez each ripped an RBI double in the frame, and Ashlee Annett placed a long single down the left field line for her first RBI of the day.
ACU used small ball in the next half inning, scoring three runs on nothing but singles and a fielder's choice to take back three of those recent Lancer runs. CBU would tack one more on in the top of the fourth to make it a 7-3 game.
The Wildcats would rally in the seventh and score two with just one out. They would methodically load the bases after that, but Jazmine Castaneda would induce a lazy infield pop-fly to end the rally and the game. Castaneda tossed four innings of relief to earn her seventh win of the season.
The series finale will be played at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time on Saturday afternoon as CBU will look to complete its fourth conference sweep of the season and all but solidify a spot in the postseason for a second straight year.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hosick, Presley (10-5)
L: Russo, Lina (6-11)
Batting:
RBI: Burns, Kalena 1 ; Martinez, Maya 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Estrada , Priscilla 1 ; Pratt, Bobbiann 1 ; Soto, Sydney 1
SB: Soto, Sydney 1
HBP: Estrada , Priscilla 1
Batting:
3B: Miloch, Avery 1
RBI: Miloch, Avery 1
SH: Marble, Olivia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bennett, Kaydee 1
CS: Bennett, Kaydee 1
