ABILENE – What a way to close opening weekend 2020. The Wildcats used a walk-off in Game 1 on Friday, and did the same on Sunday, this time in extra-inning style.
Hayden Clearman scored in the bottom of the 11th inning on a wild pitch with the bases loaded to give ACU the clean four-game sweep to start the year over Utah Valley. The Wildcats trailed 2-0 and 3-2, but evened the game in the eighth and walked off in the 11th to win, 4-3.
Trailing Early
- Johnnie Krawietz, making his first career appearance, went 3.2 innings in the start, allowing an earned run on four hits. Utah Valley took the lead in the fourth on a rbi-single by Garrett Broussard.
- The Wolverines added to the lead in the fifth with a double to left center from Pacen Hayes, and it was 2-0 Utah Valley at the halfway mark.
Back Even
- The bottom of the fifth was the equalizer for the Wildcats, and it all got started with Ryne Randle getting hit by the pitch. After the senior stole second, Miller Ladasau singled up the middle to get ACU on the board. Miller did a great job running the bases and advanced to second on the throw home.
- Tommy Cruz tied the game with an impressive rbi-single up the middle. It was stopped by the shortstop, but Cruz dove headfirst into first base and Ladausau scored. The game was tied at two apiece after five innings.
Wolverines Jump Ahead Again
- Connor Hall doubled into left center field in the top of the sixth inning to immediately give Utah Valley a 3-2 lead, and the Wildcats played catch-up again.
Ninth-Inning Heroics… Again
- Down 3-2, ACU was facing its final three outs. Sophomore Mitchell Dickson led the inning off with a double into right center field, and the comeback was on. Seth Watts came in as a pinch-runner at second base, representing the tying run.
- Junior Joseph Craig then worked a full count and sent a looping single into left field to score Watts, who did not hesitate on the play.
11th-Inning Walk-Off
- ACU had first and second with one out in the 10th inning, but failed to get across the winning run. That changed in the 11th.
- Hayden Clearman singled to lead off the inning, Ryne Randle executed the sacrifice bunt to move him to second. After an intentional walk of Miller Ladasau, Alexei Cazarin had the key at-bat. Cazarin walked in four pitches to set up the game-winner.
- With Cameron Cromer at the dish, there was a wild pitch that bounced away towards the first-base side, and Clearman was able to score to win it, 4-3.
Key Bullpen Pitching
- Lost in the comeback was the ACU bullpen keeping the Wildcats in the game. Utah Valley left 14 runners on base, and after leading 3-2 in the sixth, did not score in the final five half-innings.
- Taylor Munkres logged 0.2 innings of scoreless relief work, and Tanner Riley earned his second win of the weekend, tossing 3.2 innings of one-hit ball.
The Numbers
- Mitchell Dickson led the way at the plate with three hits in five at-bats, while Tommy Cruz went 2-4 at the plate with an rbi.
- Cromer, Hunter Gieser, Craig, Clearman, and Ladasau each recorded hits as well.
- Riley recorded five strikeouts in 13 batters faced.
- Krawietz struck out eight batters in 3.2 innings, including four punch outs in the first inning.
- ACU is 4-0 to start the season for the first time since 2016.
- ACU was outhit in the walk-off win Friday, and was outhit Sunday 12-10 in the victory.
Up Next
- It's a busy week on deck as ACU travels to Fort Worth for a matchup with TCU on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. The team then heads to Santa Barbara, Calif. for a three-game weekend series at UCSB, Feb. 21-23.
