EMPORIA, Kan. – ACU used a pair of three-run innings and eight shutout innings from pitcher
Derek Scott to knock off Baker (Kan.) University, 7-0, Wednesday night in a neutral-site game at Glennen Field on the campus of Emporia State University.
The victory pushes the Wildcats to 12-26 on the season as they head toward a three-game series this weekend against Kansas State of the Big 12 in Manhattan, Kan. Kansas State is 21-20 overall, but just 4-11 and in last place in league play. The series will get started Friday at 6:30 p.m., followed by a 2 p.m. game Saturday and a 1 p.m. contest Sunday.
ACU jumped on top of Baker with a run in the first inning on a
Luis Trevino RBI single, and that turned out to be more than enough for Scott, the left-handed sophomore who improved to 2-0 on the season. Scott started and got the win last Monday in a 3-2 victory over Texas-Permian Basin when he struck out 11 Falcons. Wednesday night he struck out eight Baker batters and only allowed five hits and two walks in eight innings of work.
He turned the game over to freshman right-hander
Ryan Kotulek, who allowed one hit but struck out two batters in the ninth to finish the game.
By that point, the ACU offense had mowed through six Baker pitchers for seven runs on 11 hits and five walks. The Wildcats got three runs in the top of the fourth – two coming in on a two-run triple by
Hillin Warren – to extend the lead to 4-0, and then added three more in the sixth with a pair coming in on a two-run single by
Russell Crippen.
Trevino finished the night 3 for 5 with one RBI, while Koby Claiborne and Warren each had a pair of hits for the Wildcats.
