ABILENE --
Travis Latz made his head coach look like a genius on Saturday and in the process he also helped the ACU Wildcats salvage a Lone Star Conference baseball doubleheader split with Tarleton State at Crutcher Scott Field.
Latz's pinch-hit three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth Saturday night turned a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 lead over the Texans as the Wildcats pulled out a 6-3 win. Tarleton took the first game Saturday, 7-4, as the Texans won three of four games from the Wildcats in the final regular-season series of the season for both teams.
The Wildcats (42-13) and Texans (25-23) now each advance to the LSC Baseball Championship Tournament, which will be played May 1-4 at Crutcher Scott Field. As the regular-season champion the Wildcats are the No. 1 seed for the tournament, and they will take on No. 6 seed Tarleton State at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Southeastern Oklahoma State will be the No. 2 seed, followed by Cameron at No. 3, Texas A&M-Kingsville at No. 4 and Angelo State at No. 5.
In Saturday's doubleheader nightcap, the Wildcats trailed 3-2 going to the bottom of the sixth after a two-out, two-run double by Andrew Wolfe in the top of the inning gave the Texans a one-run lead.
But
Cameron Watten led off the sixth with a double to left and
Cameron Bankston followed with a walk. After
Ian Tomkins fouled out on a sacrifice bunt attempt, ACU head coach
Britt Bonneau rolled the dice and brought his team's leading home run hitter (Latz) off the bench to pinch-hit for
Steve Camillucci.
Latz made sure the move paid off by pounding a 1-1 fastball deep over the wall in left-centerfield to give the Wildcats a 5-3 lead. ACU talked on a run in the seventh on an RBI double by
Cameron Bankston to make it 6-3, and
Brad Rutherford pitched the final three innings to pick up is ninth save of the season.
Aaron Lambrix went six solid innings in a starting role, picking up the win as he improved to 8-0 for the Wildcats.
Tarleton State jumped on ACU starting pitcher
Zach Sneed in the first game Saturday, taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on a three-run home run by Chris Casazza.
The Texans tacked on four more runs in the fourth to make it 7-0. ACU got back in it in the fourth with RBI singles from Bret Bochsler and
Clint Bowker, but the Wildcats left the bases loaded when Willie Uechi flew out deep to left field.
Latz hit a solo home run in the fifth to make it 7-4, but that was all the offense ACU could muster. Trailing by three runs, the Wildcats loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but Will Calhoun struck out and Latz grounded out to second as the Texas thwarted the Wildcats' final chance to score.
