ABILENE – All nine position players in Abilene Christian's starting lineup recorded at least one base hit in the Wildcats' 6-4 win over Lamar Thursday night at Crutcher Scott Field.
Collin Chaney led the way with three base hits, including a leadoff double that kick started a three-run fourth, while three teammates each finished with two base knocks.
Dalton Dunn went 2-for-4 from the leadoff spot with a run scored in the third that gave the Wildcats (20-17, 7-9 Southland) a 2-1 lead, and second baseman
Ryne Randle crushed a two-run home run off the right-field scoreboard following Chaney's aforementioned double off Lamar starter Noah Sills (2-6).
Right fielder
Colton Eager also ripped two base hits and scored the Wildcats' first run on
Derek Scott's RBI double down the first-base line. ACU clubbed four doubles overall and catcher
Luis Trevino slapped a triple off the wall in left-center field en route to scoring an insurance run in the fifth on Chaney's single through the right side.
Chaney's RBI came right after the Cardinals (13-25, 5-14 Southland) cut ACU's lead to 5-3 on back-to-back one-out RBI singles by Avery George and Cole Corker. But with the bases still loaded Wildcat starter
Spencer Chirpich (6-2) got Logan Berlof to fly out to shallow center and struck out JC Correa to end the threat.
Lamar continued to put runners on against Chirpich and middle reliever
Logan Patterson (2.2 IP) from the sixth to eighth innings but produced only one run. The Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth only to see George fly out to
Dalon Farkas in left field for the final out, and then in eighth, closer
Brennan Lewis (1.1 IP) got Coker swinging at strike three with runners at first and second base.
Lewis went on to retire the side in order in the ninth to secure his eighth save of the spring, setting the club's DI era record for most in a single season.
Nick Palacios held the previous record of seven set during the 2016 campaign. Lewis additionally lowered his season ERA to a team-best 1.44 though 33.1 innings pitched.
Chirpich's win tonight was his sixth of the year, which is the most by any Wildcat pitcher since
Aaron Mason posted a 6-5 mark in 2016.
The Wildcats and Cardinals pick up their series Friday at 6:30 p.m. Saturday's finale is set for 1 p.m.
