HOUSTON – Wildcat third baseman
Russell Crippen hit the ball well once again Friday, going 2-for-3 with a run, RBI and two doubles in Abilene Christian's 9-4 loss at Houston Baptist's Husky Field. The senior now is hitting .385 on the spring as he has safely reached base in all 31 of ACU's games.
The Snohomish, Wash., native today also was one of three Wildcats to register a multi-hit game, joining first baseman
Luis Trevino (2-for-4, run scored) and catcher
Lane Bourland (2-for-4 RBI) but their combined efforts at the plate could not counter HBU's eight-run outburst between the second and fourth innings, during which the Huskies flipped a 3-1 deficit into a 9-3 lead.
Trevino and Crippen each reached base during the Wildcats' three-run second and scored on consecutive one-out RBI singles by left fielder
Myles Paschall and Bourland. Paschall would score ACU's third run on
Dalon Farkas' single down the right field line.
HBU starter Christian Thames started to settle down soon afterward. He left runners stranded at the corners in the second inning, and after surrendering a two-out RBI double to Crippen in the fifth he retired 10 of the final 12 batters he faced. Thames turned the game over to Zach Carter for the ninth inning, and he retired the side in order, striking out
Aaron Draper to end the game after two hours and 33 minutes of play.
The Husky offense scored at least once through the first four innings against Wildcat pitchers
Keaton Brewer and
Drew Hanson. Brewer started and lasted one inning in which he allowed five runs (three earned) on three hits and three walks. Brewer stranded two runners on a strikeout to escape the first inning, but allowed the first four Husky batters to reach in the second inning on two doubles, walk and a bases-loaded hit by pitch.
HBU padded its lead in the third inning with a pair of unearned runs vs. Hanson, and in the fourth, first baseman Jake Pulcheon cranked his first home run of the season over the wall in left field, giving the Huskies a 9-3 lead.
Hanson exited the game after the four inning, giving way to
Cyle Watkins who combined for four shutout innings with
Collin Dudley. Watkins faced 10 batters and gave up two singles and a walk, while Dudley pitched the final 1.2 innings, allowing just one base runner on a hit by pitch.
The Wildcats and Huskies conclude their series Saturday at 1 p.m.
