ABILENE – With the West Texas wind gusting out of Crutcher Scott Field at more than 30 miles per hour on this Friday the 13th, little could be done to keep the ball from leaving its confines. And while conditions like this proved nightmarish for the defense, it was paradise at the plate as Houston Baptist and Abilene Christian combined for 51 base hits in the Huskies' 23-20 victory that lasted close to four hours.
For the Wildcats, whose history covers 53 years of competitions, tonight's contest was the first in which both teams scored at least 20 runs. ACU's run total also was:
1.) its most in a single game since beating Central Oklahoma 20-6 at The Crutch on Feb 15, 2010
2.) its most runs ever scored in a loss
3.) the most ever scored in a game as a DI program.
Individual history additionally was made with junior center fielder Matt Muñoz becoming only the second Wildcat to hit for the cycle. The first player to record this notable accomplishment was Marc Thompson on March 5, 1999 vs. Nebraska-Kearney.
Known both for his bat (.340) and speed (10-for-10 on stolen bases), Muñoz began his unforgettable evening with a first-inning RBI single, which gave the Wildcats an early 3-1 lead. He later struck out looking to end the third, but bounced back with a line-drive, run-scoring triple off the glove of first baseman Jake Pulcheon in the fifth, and then doubled to deep center in the seventh.
Ten of Muñoz' 34 hits have gone for extra bases this season, complete with six doubles and six triples, but he had not hit a home run since Opening Day close to two months ago - a span of 96 at-bats. That all changed, however, with two outs in the eighth when he blasted a line shot over the wall in right-center field off reliever Weston Smart, which cut HBU's lead to 19-13.
Of course, Muñoz only received this opportunity to hit with a runner on base after Matt Heck dropped a fly ball off the bat of
Zach Smith in deep right field – one of six combined errors made this evening.
The Huskies seemingly put the game out of reach once more with a four-run ninth inning that gave them a 10-run lead at 23-13 as both Heck and pinch hitter Jake Scott belted a pair of two-run home runs, but the Wildcats refused to quietly go away in sending 11 batters to the plate during their final at-bat.
Designated hitter
Caleb Kyle, who led off the Wildcats' first inning with his fourth home run of the spring, started the excitement with an infield single and two batters later right fielder
Dalon Farkas ripped his fifth round-tripper of 2018 over the left-center field wall.
Seth Watts then drew a four-pitch bases loaded walk with two outs and junior
Koby Claborn made it a three-run game with a pinch hit grand slam to straightaway center field.
Kyle tripled once more to finish the game 4-for-7, but reliever Marshall Herron finally ended the game with a ground ball from left fielder
Derek Scott. Incredibly, on a night when it was imperative for both pitching staffs to keep the ball low HBU induced 11 ground ball outs to only three for the Wildcats.
ACU's pitchers struck out nine batters and got 14 fly outs but also surrendered seven home runs and five doubles. Each HBU position player recorded at least one base hit with left fielder Spencer Halloran leading the way with a 5-for-5 performance that included two home runs, two doubles and six RBI. He also scored four runs and drew a walk.
Three other Huskies finished with four or more base hits, including Heck (6 RBI), Anthony Jones (3 runs) and Elijah Simon (4 runs).
Muñoz led ACU with five hits, followed by Kyle with four, while both Farkas and Scott had three.
The Wildcats and Huskies continue their three-game series Saturday at 2 p.m. The forecast calls for a first-pitch temperature of 58 degrees under mostly sunny skies and winds coming out of the north-northwest at 24 miles per hour.
