Wildcats roar back in ninth to top UCSB

Sunday, February 23

Santa Barbara, Calif.

2 p.m. CT

Abilene Christian

5-3

UC-Santa Barbara

5-2

Abilene Christian

UC Santa Barbara

Photo by: Jeremy Enlow

2/23/2020 7:12:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – After trailing for eight innings Sunday afternoon, the Wildcat baseball team went to work in the ninth inning, scoring five times to complete a comeback win over the Gauchos of UC-Santa Barbara, 5-4. ACU (5-3) then survived a rally in the home ninth, withstanding a three-run inning to get back on the winning track.

Ninth-Inning Rally

Trailing 1-0 and facing Gaucho closer Connor Roberts, Tommy Cruz did exactly what you want your leadoff man in the ninth to do: get on base. Cruz drew a walk and Nico Limoncelli came in to run at first base.
Colton Eager then reached on an infield single and Mitchell Dickson was hit by the pitch to load the bags with no one out.
Then Eric Wimpee stepped in. The senior had just one RBI through the first seven games, but was ready for the challenge. The Rockwall native roped a double down the right field line to clear the bases, giving ACU a 3-1 lead, its first lead of the series.
Miller Ladusau followed with an RBI-single to score Seth Watts, who came in as a pinch-runner for Wimpee.
The final run of the inning came on a passed ball, scoring Ladusau to give ACU a 5-1 advantage.

Holding on in the Bottom of the 9th

Tanner Riley, who entered the game in the fifth inning in relief, started the bottom of the ninth inning. The inning began with a walk, a single, and a fielder's choice to load the bags with nobody out. Head coach Rick McCarty then went to Colby Adkins to close out the game.
Adkins got the first out on a ground ball to first base, and even though a run scored, the lead was still three.
Trouble came when Adkins gave up a two-run single up the middle and it was a 5-4 contest with just one out, but back-to-back fly outs ended the inning and the game as Adkins earned the save.

Stat Pack

ACU starter Nate Hawkins went 4.2 innings in a no-decision, allowing one unearned run on three hits. The unearned run occurred in the first inning, and was the only run of the game until the ninth.
Riley tossed 3.1 innings of relief, and improves to 3-0 after earning the win.
Hayden Clearman, Miller Ladusau, and Colton Eager each led the way with two hits.
Wimpee's three-run double was hit lone hit in four at-bats, and the biggest hit of his season.

Highlight Reel Catch

Hayden Clearman showed his range in center field with an incredible diving catch.

🚨🚨🚨 TOP PLAY ALERT!

INSANE diving catch by @ClearmanHayden!#SCtop10 @SportsCenter #GoWildcats #ATO pic.twitter.com/jQVtumMtZr
— ACU Baseball (@ACU_Baseball) February 23, 2020

Up Next

ACU returns to the friendly confines of Crutcher Scott Field to take on Youngstown State for a three-game series next week. The opening game takes place Thursday, Feb. 27 at 6:35 p.m.