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ACU rallies to beat Zias

Freedom New Mexico

ABILENE, Texas — Shortstop Andi Anti delivered a tie-breaking, two-run double to left-center with two out, capping a three-run fifth which lifted Abilene Christian past Eastern New Mexico University 4-2 on Sunday in the finale of their three-game Lone Star Conference softball series.

The Wildcats (21-28, 5-9 South) took the series two games to one. ENMU (15-35, 2-12) will finish its season in a three-game series at Zia Field against Texas Woman’s, beginning with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.

Senior catcher Michelle Anderson’s third homer of the season, a two-run shot in the third, staked the Zias to a 2-0 lead. ACU cut it to 2-1 in the fourth on Nancy Sawyer’s RBI single.

The Wildcats loaded the bases against senior Kimberly Crouse (6-15) in the fifth on singles by Stephanie Tingle, Caitlin Nabors and Shawna Barrow. Melissa Mendoza’s sacrifice fly tied it before Anti drove in the go-ahead runs with her double to center field.

ENMU, which left the bases loaded in the second inning, left them loaded again in the sixth and stranded the tying runs in scoring position in the seventh against Brittany Rexroat (9-9), who threw a complete-game eight-hitter with two walks and four strikeouts.

Anderson and senior Rebecca Quinones each went 2-for-4 for the Zias. Crouse allowed seven hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.