Wildcats end regular season vs. Lincoln
ACU hosts non-conference foe in preparation for LSC tournament
ABILENE -- ACU will wrap up the 2003 regular season this weekend when it hosts Lincoln (Mo.) in a four-game non-conference series at Crutcher Scott Field.
The Wildcats and Blue Tigers will hook up in a four-game set beginning with a 4 p.m. doubleheader Friday. The series will conclude Saturday with a noon doubleheader. All four games can be heard on KSLI 1280 AM.
The Wildcats (35-16 and ranked 12th this week in the Collegiate Baseball magazine national poll) will begin play in the Lone Star Conference Post-Season Tournament next Thursday at Central Oklahoma. The Wildcats -- the No. 2 seed from the Lone Star Conference South Division -- will take on the host and top seed from the LSC North, Central Oklahoma. That game is likely to be played at 3 p.m. The double-elimination tournament will run through Saturday with two elimination games to be played on Friday.
The Wildcats, who have won seven of their last nine games going into the series, are led offensively by shortstop Beau Bimson, who is hitting .385 with one home run and 20 RBI. Leftfielder Marcelino Escalante has hit eight home runs to go along with 43 RBI and a .377 batting average. Arnie Gomez has also hit eight home runs, while Ryan Barker leads the team with 51 RBI to go along with seven home runs and a .326 batting average.
The Blue Tigers are led by Johnny Cruz, who is hitting .313 with one home run and 13 RBI. Hennington Hodgson leads the club with four home runs and 31 RBI to go along with a .306 batting average. Lincoln is hitting just .257 as a team, and its team ERA is 8.06. Opponents, meanwhile, are hitting .333 against the Blue Tigers, and opponents' ERA against Lincoln is 3.37.
