Wildcats knock off Sam Houston State, 7-4

ACU hammers out four home runs in win over Division I opponent

For immediate release 10 April 2002

HUNTSVILLE -- After going 24 years between wins over a Division I opponent, the ACU baseball team on Wednesday earned its second victory in the last three weeks over a higher-level opponent with a 7-4 over Sam Houston State at Holleman Field.

The victory over the Bearkats pushes the Wildcats to 33-12 overall heading into Saturday's non-conference doubleheader at Dallas Baptist. The victory was ACU's second of the season over a Division I opponent, following a 7-2 win over Texas-San Antonio on March 20. That win marked ACU's first win over a Division I foe since a 6-5 win over Hardin-Simmons in 1978.

As he did against Texas-San Antonio, ACU pitcher Corey Tidwell led the way, pitching seven strong innings to pick his up his seventh win of the season against just three losses. He scattered five hits and struck out five while allowing just two runs.

ACU's offense was powered by Oscar Vargas, Creighton Bryan, Chris Churchill and Ryan Barker, each of whom hit home runs in the win over the Bearkats (16-20).

Vargas, in fact, led off the game with a home run, and then ACU added two more in the second for a 3-0 lead on Barker's two-run shot. It became a 4-0 game in the third when Bryan homered with two outs.

Sam Houston, however, rallied for two runs in the bottom of the third before Tidwell got out of the inning.

ACU put the game away in the fifth inning with three runs, all of them coming home on a three-run shot by Churchill.

Frankie Keller threw the eighth inning and Shawn Brooks closed it out in the ninth, although he did allow a pair of runs. Sam Houston ended the game with runners at second and third

Schedule