Wildcats rally to earn split

Saturday, February 12

Kingsville, TX

1 pm

Abilene Christian

Texas A&M - Kingsville

2/12/2011 10:04:12 PM | Baseball

KINGSVILLE – Cameron Bankston's two-run double in the 10th inning of the second game Saturday gave the Wildcats a lead they wouldn't relinquish as the seventh-ranked Wildcats knocked off the Javelinas, 6-3, at Nolan Ryan Field as they earned a split of Saturday's Lone Star Conference baseball doubleheader.

The Wildcats finished their season-opening weekend at 1-2 overall and 1-2 in the LSC. ACU will return to action this weekend with a three-game LSC series against East Central at Crutcher Scott Field. The series will get started with a single game Friday at 4:05 p.m., followed by a 1:05 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.

ACU had a chance to sweep the Saturday doubleheader, but gave up six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to lose the first game, 7-4. The Javelinas appeared to be on the verge of sweeping the series as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead through six innings, but ACU tied the game with single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

ACU tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the ninth when Reed Watson doubled to left with two outs and scored on Bryce Gerhardt's single to left.

In the top of the 10th, Duncan Blades reached on an error and went to second on a passed ball. After J.R. Roland walked he was taken out of the game for pinch-runner Marcus Uechi.

Bankston then followed the walk with a double that plated both Blades and Uechi. Bankston was thrown out at third trying to stretch it to a triple. Peter Goudeau then doubled to left before Abe Williams doubled to left to make it 6-3.

ACU's new closer, Will Calhoun, then set the Javelinas down in order in the bottom of the 10th to pick up the Wildcats' first win of the season.

In Saturday's first game, the Wildcats jumped out to a 4-1 lead through 5 1/2 innings and appeared to be on their way to earning a win in the twinbill opener.

However, ACU starting pitcher Aaron Lambrix ran out of gas in the bottom of the sixth, giving up four straight hits to start the inning, the last an RBI single to Adam Aspaas – the younger brother of former ACU pitcher Cameron Aspaas – to make it a 4-2 game.

Calhoun entered the game and immediately gave up a two-run double that tied the game at 4-4 before giving up a two-run single and an RBI walk. The Wildcats had the tying run at the plate twice in the top of the seventh, but couldn't put a run across as they started the season 0-2.