ABILENE, Texas – Ashley Kuchenski extended her career-best hitting streak to nine games and did it in style while helping Midwestern State to a 10-2 win over Abilene Christian in Game 1 Tuesday afternoon at Wells Field.

Kuchenski went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs as MSU bolted to an 8-0 lead in the fifth inning then cruised to the victory to improve to 32-23 on the season.

Kristen Stonecipher keyed a four-run third inning for MSU with a two-run double to center field to drive in her 42nd and 43rd runs of the season.

Stonecipher, who was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI in Game 1, needs to drive in five more runs to pass former Abilene Christian standout Katie Bryan for the Lone Star Conference career RBI lead. Bryan drove in 171 from 2002-05.

Maranda Bishop and Jessica Rodriguez also delivered run-scoring singles as the Mustangs led 4-0 through three innings.

Kuchenski, who had singled to center field in the third, laced an RBI-single to right field to plate Amanda Potysman to increase the MSU advantage 4-0 in the fourth before Tabitha Yannetti keyed a three-run fifth with a two-run single to center field in the fifth to push the advantage to 8-0.

But the Mustangs were unable to seal the run-rule in the bottom of the fifth inning as ACU's Jessica Johnson reached on a leadoff walk before being lifted for pinch runner Genevie Ramirez.

Ramirez then advanced to third on an error and scored on a Leisha Johnson sacrifice fly to extend the game.

The Wildcats pulled to within 8-2 on a solo home run by Katie Cornelison in the sixth inning before Midwestern tacked on two more runs in the seventh.

MSU's Katie Petersen went the distance in the circle to improve to 22-7 while allowing one earned run on four hits while striking out five and walking four.

Kim McDonald took the loss for Abilene Christian to fall to 14-13 after yielding 10 runs – eight earned – on 13 hits while walking five and striking out three.

Kuchenski, Stonecipher, Bishop, Rodriguez and Petersen each had two hits in the Mustangs' balanced, 13-hit attack.