ABILENE – ACU junior right-hander
Drew Hanson threw six solid innings Saturday night and was backed up a solid offensive output as the Wildcats beat Northwestern State, 9-4, in a Southland Conference contest at Crutcher Scott Field.
The win pushed ACU to 13-34 overall and 3-23 in the conference, while the Demons fall to 19-30 and 9-17. The win snapped ACU's seven-game losing streak and four-game conference skid. The series finale – which is also ACU's final home game of the 2017 season – is Sunday at 1 p.m.
Hanson (3-4 on the season) gave up just three hits and walked four while striking out seven in six scoreless innings. Hanson has two of ACU's three conference wins, going along with a 5-0 win over Incarnate Word on March 12.
ACU's offense pounded out 11 hits with leadoff hitter
Russell Crippen driving in three runs with a two-run home run to left field in the third to make it a 3-0 ACU lead. He also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Derek Scott had one RBI, while
Luis Trevino and
Anthony Dominguez drove in two runs apiece as the top four hitters in ACU's lineup were 7 for 17 with four runs scored and eight RBI.
