ACU wins series from TSU
3/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
ACU wins series from Tarleton State
ACU remains in second place in LSC South Division
ABILENE -- ACU's season-high nine-game winning streak went by the wayside over the weekend, but that's about the only bad thing that happened to the Wildcats in their three-game series against Tarleton State.
The Wildcats improved to 22-17 overall and 10-5 in the Lone Star Conference South Division by taking two of three games from the Texans at Crutcher Scott Field. Tarleton State (15-24 overall and 5-9 in the LSC South) won Friday's first game, 6-4, before falling in the nightcap of the doubleheader, 10-1. ACU then won the series finale, 4-1, on Saturday.
The Wildcats are still in second place in the LSC South Division behind Texas A&M-Kingsville, although ACU is now two games out of first after the Javelinas swept West Texas A&M in a three-game weekend series in Kingsville.
ACU will return to action Tuesday when it hosts NCAA Division I foe Dallas Baptist in a single game at 7 p.m. at Crutcher Scott Field.
Here's a brief recap of each game of the Wildcats' series win over Tarleton State:
Game 1 (Tarleton State 6, ACU 4): The Texans scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning off of ACU relief pitcher Coy Polk to snap ACU's nine-game winning streak.
The Texans led 4-2 going into the bottom of the sixth inning before ACU rallied for two runs in the inning, thanks in part to an error by Tarleton State rightfielder Daniel Anderson, whose dropped fly ball with two outs allowed Dan Gubbels to score, knotting the game at 4-4.
But the Texans rallied with two outs as Polk walked back-to-back hitters before giving up a two-run triple to Chad Nixon. The Wildcats went down in order in the bottom of the seventh inning and the Texans collected the victory.
Game 2 (ACU 10, Tarleton State 1): ACU took out its Game 1 frustrations on Tarleton State starting pitcher Dustin Holland, who was chased from the game after working just two-thirds of an inning and giving up five runs.
Alec Sowards had a three-run triple in the inning and J-Bob Thomas added an RBI double and Joel Wells an RBI single in the inning.
ACU starting pitcher Ben Brockman was the recipient of the run support, and he made it stand up in a dominating performance. Brockman, who improved to 5-2 with the complete-game victory, scattered seven hits, didn't allow a walk and struck out seven Texans en route to the win.
Game 3 (ACU 4, Tarleton State 1): ACU freshman pitcher Ben Maynard went seven solid innings and ACU posted three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning Saturday to take a 4-1 win in the series finale. Maynard, who improved to 5-1 with the win, gave up just three hits and struck out four Texans to pick up the victory.
ACU led 1-0 after scoring in the fourth, but Tarleton State tied the game in the top of the seventh. But the Wildcats answered with three runs in the bottom of the seventh as Thomas, Cody Cure and Ryan Barker each had RBI singles. Polk finished it off for ACU, pitching a perfect ninth inning to pick up his fourth save.
