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April 26, 2008

Box Score

CANYON, Texas - The Lady Buffs got spectacular effort from freshman Shannon O'Dea in the pitching circle and Kaitlyn Witte's school hit her school-record 10th home run of the season to take a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Abilene Christian in game on of a doubleheader at Lady Buff Yard on Saturday. West Texas A&M could not parlay the early win into a victory in game two as the Wildcats' bats got hot to down the Lady Buffs by the score of 12-5.

Entering the final day of the season, WT softball's record now stands at 25-32 for the year and 6-11 in Lone Star Conference South Division action. ACU, meanwhile, improves to 27-23 and 11-6 in league action.

The two teams will conclude the series on Sunday at Lady Buff Yard, with first pitch set for 1:30 p.m. Prior to the game, WT will recognize its lone senior, Andrea Renteria.

Game #1 Recap - (West Texas A&M 2, Abilene Christian 1)
With the game tied at 0-0 and two outs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning, Witte stepped to the plate with two runners on and singled up the middle to bring in both runners.

The two scores would be that all O'Dea needed as the freshman pitcher allowed just a single run to pick up her 10th win of the season.

The seventh and final inning was action packed as the Wildcats rallied and were able to push across a run and load the bases, but an O'Dea's seventh strikeout of the day ended the threat.

The two RBI for Witte tied the school record for runs batted for a single season, trying Brooke Guidry, who drove in 38 last season. The sophomore from Midland, Texas, was not finished as she and rest of the Lady Buff took the field during the day's second game.

Game #2 Recap - (Abilene Christian 12 West Texas A&M 5)
Game two got off to a rocky start for the home team as ACU plated four runs in the top of the first inning to take an early advantage in the contest.

WT got a tally back in the home half of the first, as Witte connected on her tenth long ball of the season to put her name in the Lady Buff softball record book with the most home runs and RBI for a single season.

The two teams traded scores in the fourth and fifth innings, with freshmen Christie Russell and Audrey Wallace driving in runs for WT, but six runs during the next two innings gave ACU a 12-3 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh.

The Lady Buffs put together a late rally in the frame as WT junior Jessica Ruzicki walked to lead off the inning and came in to score two batters later on a triple by Amber Farr. Farr was able to come home herself on a Witte RBI ground out later in the inning, but the rally could go no further as ACU's Kim McDonald closed the door to pick up the save.

The game had a scary moment during the top of the seventh when WT centerfielder Rachel Cavallaro was injured after colliding with the outfield wall while trying to track down a fly ball. The sophomore was able to return to the WT dugout after receiving treatment from WTAMU athletic trainers and medical personnel.