Photo by: Sam Houston State Sports Information
4/22/2016 10:34:00 PM | Baseball
HUNTSVILLE – Sam Houston State scored three runs in the seventh and one in the eighth Friday night to spoil an upset by the ACU Wildcats in a 6-3 Bearkat win in Southland Conference baseball action at Don Sanders Stadium.
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The Wildcats led 3-2 going to the bottom half of the seventh, thanks to a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, including a solo home run by Russell Crippen. But the Bearkats took advantage of some spotty pitching and fielding by the Wildcats to regain a lead they would not relinquish.
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ACU trailed 2-1 going to the sixth inning before Crippen blasted a solo home run to right field to tie the game at 2-2. One out later, Braxton Wilks doubled and then came home on a double by freshman Derek Scott, giving the Wildcats a 3-2 lead.
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But the wheels fell off for the Wildcats in the bottom of the seventh inning.
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Relief pitcher Nate Cole retired the first batter of the seventh before hitting Robie Rojas and Taylor Beene back-to-back. Both runners then advanced on a wild pitch before Cole struck out Andrew Fregia for the second out.
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The Wildcats then elected to intentionally walk leadoff hitter Bryce Johnson to load the bases and set up a force out at any base. It appeared as though Cole would get out of the inning unscathed when pinch-hitter Matt Broadbent hit a slow three-hopper back to the mound that should have been the third out. But Cole mishandled the ball on what was generously ruled a hit, driving in Rojas with the tying run. With the bases still loaded, Beene scored on a passed ball to give the Bearkats a 4-3 lead. Johnson scored on another passed ball to make it 5-3.
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ACU had a golden opportunity to tie the game in the eighth when catcher Alex Copeland led off with a single and went to second on a walk by Scott. David Ruot then grounded out, but the runners advanced to scoring position, giving the Wildcats the tying run at second base with one out.
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But Copeland was thrown out at home on a chopping ball to third and Aaron Draper grounded back to the pitcher to end the threat and the Wildcats still trailed 5-3 going to the bottom half of the inning. The Bearkats tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning on an RBI single by Rojas before Greg Belton pitched a perfect ninth inning for his seventh save.
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The Wildcats (13-22 overall and 5-11 in the Southland) and Bearkats (23-16 and 15-4) will continue their three-game set Saturday at 2 p.m.
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The Wildcats led 3-2 going to the bottom half of the seventh, thanks to a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, including a solo home run by Russell Crippen. But the Bearkats took advantage of some spotty pitching and fielding by the Wildcats to regain a lead they would not relinquish.
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ACU trailed 2-1 going to the sixth inning before Crippen blasted a solo home run to right field to tie the game at 2-2. One out later, Braxton Wilks doubled and then came home on a double by freshman Derek Scott, giving the Wildcats a 3-2 lead.
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But the wheels fell off for the Wildcats in the bottom of the seventh inning.
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Relief pitcher Nate Cole retired the first batter of the seventh before hitting Robie Rojas and Taylor Beene back-to-back. Both runners then advanced on a wild pitch before Cole struck out Andrew Fregia for the second out.
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The Wildcats then elected to intentionally walk leadoff hitter Bryce Johnson to load the bases and set up a force out at any base. It appeared as though Cole would get out of the inning unscathed when pinch-hitter Matt Broadbent hit a slow three-hopper back to the mound that should have been the third out. But Cole mishandled the ball on what was generously ruled a hit, driving in Rojas with the tying run. With the bases still loaded, Beene scored on a passed ball to give the Bearkats a 4-3 lead. Johnson scored on another passed ball to make it 5-3.
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ACU had a golden opportunity to tie the game in the eighth when catcher Alex Copeland led off with a single and went to second on a walk by Scott. David Ruot then grounded out, but the runners advanced to scoring position, giving the Wildcats the tying run at second base with one out.
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But Copeland was thrown out at home on a chopping ball to third and Aaron Draper grounded back to the pitcher to end the threat and the Wildcats still trailed 5-3 going to the bottom half of the inning. The Bearkats tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning on an RBI single by Rojas before Greg Belton pitched a perfect ninth inning for his seventh save.
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The Wildcats (13-22 overall and 5-11 in the Southland) and Bearkats (23-16 and 15-4) will continue their three-game set Saturday at 2 p.m.
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Players Mentioned
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Manning, M. (4-2)
L: Cole, Nate (1-5)
S: Belton, G. (7)

Batting:
2B: Wilks, Braxton 1 ; Scott, Derek 1 ; Pearson, Mark 1
HR: Crippen, Russell 1
RBI: Crippen, Russell 1 ; Scott, Derek 1
SH: Markwardt, Hunter 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Draper, Aaron 1 ; Crippen, Russell 1 ; Wilks, Braxton 1
CS: Crippen, Russell 1
HBP: Markwardt, Hunter 1

Batting:
RBI: Johnson, B. 2 ; Broadbent, M 1 ; Smith, Z. 1 ; Rojas, R. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Johnson, B. 1 ; Grisham, J. 1 ; Rojas, R. 1 ; Beene, T. 2 ; Fregia, A. 1
CS: Smith, Z. 1
HBP: Rojas, R. 1 ; Beene, T. 2
Game Leaders
Tuesday, October 20
Sunday, October 18
Tuesday, October 13
Monday, October 12




















