Final Stats (.pdf)

SAN ANGELO – Senior Kaycee Taylor smashed her fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the first and that was all the No. 17 Angelo State softball team would need as junior left-handed pitcher Claire Molina shut down Abilene Christian en route to a 2-0 victory Thursday night at the ASU Softball Complex.

Taylor went 2-for-3 in the contest with one run and an RBI. Her homer to lead off the game came on a 2-2 count off of Abilene Christian (26-24, 9-7 LSC) starting pitcher Brittany Rexroat (12-8). Rexroat went 6.0 innings and allowed two runs on 10 hits without allowing a walk and struck out one to collect her eighth loss of the season.

Molina (19-4) pitched herself out of a jam in the top of the second after two runners reached base on a hit by pitch, followed by a fielder's choice and a bunt single over the head of third baseman Elsa Apo. Molina composed herself and got Brianna Fowlkes to fly out to centerfield and got Erin Gilliland to chase a curveball for her first strikeout of the game.

Angelo State (37-8, 12-4 LSC) centerfielder Brittany Astle had a fantastic night at the plate as she finished the game 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles. In the bottom of the second, Astle roped a one-out double over the head of rightfielder Lyndi Smith's head. However, Astle was caught stealing on the next play. Morgan Spearman followed with a double of her own to right-centerfield. The freshman leftfielder advanced to third on an infield single by rightfielder Jasmaine Moore. With runners at the corners and two outs Rexroat got Taylor to pop up to second base to end the inning and the threat.

In the bottom of the fifth, Taylor led off the inning with a single up the middle. Second baseman Alix Dean blooped a flare to left-centerfield that fell between three ACU fielders to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Shortstop Chelsey Walters reached on a fielder's choice as Luz'Ce Baca, who pinch ran for Taylor, was thrown out at third. Now with one out and runners still at first and second, Apo sliced the ball to the right side and reached on the fielder's choice as Walters was thrown out at second. As the Wildcats tried to turn the double play and get Apo at first, Dean rounded third and charged home. Apo beat out the throw to first and Dean crossed the plate just ahead of the tag, giving the Belles' their second run of the game.

Molina continued to shut down the Wildcats' offense as she pitched her ninth complete game and third shutout of the season. The San Bernardino, Calif., native scattered four hits on 7.0 innings pitched, walked a pair and fanned four en route to her 19th win of the season.

The Belles and the Wildcats will return to the diamond to conclude their three-game series Friday, April 22, with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Live stats, live streaming and live audio will be available on AngeloSports.com. The game will also be broadcast live on KKSA 1260 by Jeremy Bryant.

AngeloSports.com: Your online source for Angelo State Athletics news, multimedia, photos and more.