ACU out-hits St. Edwards 25-23, but drops 3 of 4
Wildcats fall to 11-14 on the year
The ACU Wildcat baseball team continued to struggle this weekend, dropping three straight games to St. Edwards University before closing out the weekend with a 6-4 win.
Before the game four win, the Wildcats had lost six straight ball games dating back to their Feb. 28 loss to Tarleton in Stephenville. ACU combined for nine errors in the first three games and fell to St. Edwards with scores of 4-2, 6-5 and 10-6. The Wildcats entered the weekend at 10-11 hoping to get past the .500 barrier, however St. Edwards halted their efforts and dropped ACU's record to 11-14.
The Wildcats will host three Lone Star Conference South Division games next weekend as they host Texas A&M Kingsville at Crutcher Scott Field. On March 5, ACU will begin a doubleheader at 4:00 p.m., and close out Saturday March 6, with a 9-inning game at noon.
Game 1:
The Wildcat offense was shut down by St. Edwards' Travis Barlow who pitched a complete game, allowing only four hits and two runs as ACU fell 4-2. The Wildcats scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning when Chris Judkins scored on an error, but St. Edwards countered with a two-RBI single by first-baseman Josh Hamilton for a 2-1 lead.
St. Edwards added two more insurance runs in the top of the sixth inning, scoring on an error and on a RBI single by Justin Tegge. ACU's Brian Johnson doubled to leadoff the bottom of the sixth inning, and later scored on Ryan Barker's ground out to short, but the Wildcats were unable to rally further.
Aaron Lawler picked up the loss for the Wildcats, scattering five hits and four runs, with six strikeouts and walked one St. Edwards batter.
Game 2:
A three-run bottom of the seventh inning was not enough to rally the Wildcats past St. Edwards in game two, dropping their second straight to the Hilltoppers 6-5.
ACU managed three errors in the contest, left eight runners on base, and the Wildcat pitchers combined to allow seven free St. Edwards base runners to aid the team's loss to the Hilltoppers.
Matt Callahan led the rally attempt in the bottom of the seventh with a two-RBI double, and Joel Wells scored on a bases loaded balk by Casey Plant, but the Wildcats' night ended when Barker lined out to center to end the game.
Ben Brockman acquired a loss in the losing effort, scattering just four hits, and allowing four earned runs in five innings pitched. Brockman struck out seven Hilltoppers, but walked three and hit three batters to give St. Edwards a leg up on the base paths.
Game 3:
The Wildcats lost a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh inning when St. Edwards shelled reliever Andrew Dillman for four runs. Dillman picked up his first loss of the season in relief and the Wildcats dropped their sixth straight game.
ACU took advantage of pitching and fielding miscues committed by St. Edwards to jump out with an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Cody Cure scored on a bases loaded walk, Callahan scored on an error by St. Edwards' Al Reyna and Chris Gaw scored after Nick Skaff was hit by a pitch.
However, St. Edwards' ten runs and ten hits were too much for the Wildcats to match. The Hilltopper's Tegge had a huge game batting 3 of 4 with four RBI and three runs scored. Tegge homered in the top of the fifth inning to pull St. Edwards within one run, and then hit a two-run double in the top of the seventh to push them to a 8-6 lead.
Game 4:
Freshman Ben Maynard stuck out thirteen Hilltoppers in six and two-thirds innings of work and grabbed the only Wildcat win in the four-game set at Crutcher Scott Field 6-4.
Maynard allowed only four hits, and scattered four runs in the win while lefty Sam Hall saved the game facing one batter in the top of the seventh inning. Callahan hit a two-run homer to lead the Wildcats and Cure batted 3 of 4 with two runs scored and one RBI.
