TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- The Northeastern State RiverHawks will no doubt be glad to see the ACU Wildcats leave town Sunday afternoon, if for no other reason than to get rid of the Watten brothers.
Cameron and Trey Watten each hit a two-run home run in the first game of Saturday's Lone Star Conference doubleheader and then they combined for five RBI in the nightcap as the Wildcats swept a twinbill from the RiverHawks, 5-3 and 8-5, at Rousey Field. The teams will complete their four-game series Sunday with a noon doubleheader.
The win pushes the No. 19 Wildcats to 30-13 overall and 26-7 in the LSC, while the RiverHawks fall to 16-23 and 12-18. The first-place Wildcats are three games in front of Angelo State (24-11) in the LSC, while Cameron and Southeastern Oklahoma State are tied for third at 23-12 in the LSC. The Aggies of Cameron will be in Abilene next weekend for a key four-game series at Crutcher Scott Field.
The two wins clinch at least sixth place in the LSC for the Wildcats and a spot in next month's LSC Post-Season Tournament (May 3-6) at Crutcher Scott Field on the ACU campus.
In the series opener, the Wildcats trailed 2-1 going to the eighth inning before the Watten brothers took over for ACU. First Trey Watten blasted a two-run home run that scored J.J. Pacheco in front of him to put the Wildcats in front 3-2. After the RiverHawks were able to get the game tied with a run in the bottom of the eighth, Cameron Watten won the game for the Wildcats with a two-run home run of his own, driving in Allen Smith in front of him.
That home run made a winner of Chris Wiman, who pitched the final two innings to get the win and improve to 7-2 on the season. Wiman came into the game with the Wildcats leading 3-2, but with runners on second and third and no out. After giving up a game-tying sacrifice fly, he got a strikeout and groundout to get out of the inning with the game tied at 3-3. In the ninth, he struck out the first two batters he faced and got the final out of the game on a fly ball to centerfield.
Wiman picked up the win, although starting pitcher Preston Vancil did a nice job for the Wildcats, holding the RiverHawks to just three runs while scattering seven hits over seven innings.
In the nightcap, the Wildcats and starter Matt Sullivan fell behind 5-0 through four innings, although all three RiverHawk runs in the first inning were unearned after a pair of ACU errors. The RiverHawks then pushed their lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run home run from Jimmy Pike.
But the Wildcat offense came to life in the top of the fifth inning with a seven-run outburst. Anthony Walsh led off the inning with a walk and went to third after a single by Pacheco. After Pacheco moved to second on a stolen base, Trey Watten delivered a two-run single to cut the lead t 5-2. Watten was thrown out trying to stretch the single into a double to clear the bases for Thomas Bumpass, who drew a one-out walk.
Mike Elkerson then singled to center before Jordan Schmitt struck out for the second out of the inning. Smith hit a ground ball to shortstop Blake Neighbors, who misplayed the ball, allowing Bumpass to score and Elkerson to move to third. Willie Uechi then delivered the game-tying two-run single to plate Elkerson and Smith. Cameron Watten then followed with a two-run home run to give the Wildcats a 7-5 lead.
Aaron Grinstain came on to pitch the fifth and sixth innings for the Wildcats, and he allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out a pair of RiverHawks. After Trey Watten pushed the lead to 8-5 in the sixth inning with an RBI single, Wiman set the RiverHawks down in order in the bottom of the seventh to earn his third save of the season.
