ABILENE – Junior
Spencer Chirpich struck out eight batters over 5.0 innings, and the Wildcats dug out of a 3-0 hole with a three-run third en route to a 5-4 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on a cool Friday night at Crutcher Scott Field.
ACU improved to 2-3 with the win, while the Golden Lions dropped to 1-4.
All the damage against Chirpich came in the third inning. The Fairmont, Minn., native started the frame with consecutive walks and Ryan Mallison followed with a triple to the right-field corner that took a bad bounce off the wall past senior
Dalon Farkas. Mallison came home a batter later on a double by Sergio Esperanza.
Chirpich bounced back in a hurry, however, getting the No. 4 batter Nick Kreutzer to ground out to second base followed by back-to-back strikeouts of Austin Krzeminski and Ricardo Sanchez. From there he retired six of the next seven batters he faced with four strikeouts.
ACU didn't trail for long as it sent seven men to the plate during its half of the third inning.
Dalton Dunn led off with a walk and scored three batters later on
Derek Scott's ground ball to second base. Farkas then connected with a two-out double to left center field, and scored the game-tying run on
Robert Salazar's single to center field.
Farkas broke the 3-3 tie in the fifth inning with a fly ball to left field that plated
Luis Trevino, and Scott scored to make it a 5-3 game when the Pine Bluff third baseman booted Salazar's two-out ground ball.
Pine Bluff scored once more in the eighth off the Wildcats' bullpen, and got its leadoff man Larry Sims on base in the ninth, but closer
Brennan Lewis picked him off first base with help from first baseman
Koby Claborn and shortstop Salazar. Lewis struck out pinch hitter Brandon Simon for out No. 2 and earned his second save of the season after getting a ground ball to third base.
Senior
David Ruot bridged the gap between Chirpich and Lewis, surrendering just one run on one hit through 2.0 innings of work.
Peyton Burks was saddled with the loss for Pine Bluff as he was charged with all five runs (four earned). Dalton Acost followed him to the mound and tossed 3.0 scoreless frames with two strikeouts.
The Wildcats return to action Saturday at 2 p.m. for game two of its series.
