NATCHITOCHES, La. - Right fielder
Colton Eager cracked his first home run of the season, and the Wildcats' three-man pitching staff combined for 10 K in Abilene Christian's 8-2 win at Northwestern State Saturday afternoon, tying the series at one game apiece. Sunday's rubber game will commence at 1 p.m.
ACU (7-6, 1-1 Southland) and starter
Spencer Chirpich were down 2-0 after two frames but he bounced back with three scoreless innings, and the offense came around on his behalf with a four-run sixth inning. The Wildcats got things rolling vs. starter Cal Carver (5.0 IP) and reliever Josh Banes (1.0) with two singles wrapped around a fielding error and pinch hitter
Miller Ladusau followed with a one-out double to right that tied the score at 2-2.
Seth Watts then delivered the go-ahead infield RBI single and Ladusau came home on
Hayden Clearman's ground ball to first base.
Ladusau provided a seventh-inning insurance run thanks to bases-loaded walk issued by reliever Reed Michel, and one inning later Eager put the game out of reach with a three-run bomb to right field. Clearman and
Cameron Cromer scored on Eager's second hit of the day.
Both Eager and Ladusau finished the game with 3 RBI.
Chirpich (1-1) was credited with the win, but relievers
Tanner Riley and
Austin Glaze were additionally stellar. Riley tossed 3.0 scoreless innings with six strikeouts, leaving six runners on bases. Glaze then struck out the side in the ninth on 14 pitches.
