NEW ORLEANS — It was a balanced offensive attack for the Wildcats Friday night in the bayou in game one of a four-game series with the New Orleans Privateers. ACU scored two runs in the first, second, fifth, and seventh innings, and added one more in the ninth on the way to a 9-6 victory. The Wildcats (13-7, 5-4 SLC) got contributions up and down the lineup, with six players driving in runs in the win, and seven players recording hits.
Max Huffling got the win in relief, while
Tanner Riley earned the save, all backing up starter
Tyler Morgan. The teams return to action on Saturday for a twin bill starting at 2 p.m.
Four runs in the first two innings for ACU
Right-hander
Tyler Morgan made his second start of the season, and lasted 4.1 innings, allowing five earned runs on eight hits. He got backup from his offense right away, as ACU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
Brett Hammit drove in
Mitchell Dickson with a sacrifice fly, and
Hunter Gieser scored
Colton Eager with an RBI-single to make it 2-0. New Orleans would respond in the home first, however, to tie the game. A double and a single drove in a pair to even the game up at 2-2.
The Wildcats would respond right back themselves, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the second to regain the lead at 4-2.
Alexei Cazarin doubled down the left-field line to plate
Grayson Tatrow, and Dickson followed it up with a single to plate Cazarin. Morgan held UNO scoreless in the second and third and the Wildcats led 4-2 going to the middle frames.
UNO ties it, ACU responds to go up 6-5 in middle innings
New Orleans scored two in the home fourth off Morgan to even the game at 4-4, plating runs on a homer and a double to even it up. But the Wildcat bats continued to answer the bell when they had to. UNO poses a team ERA of just 3.80, but ACU put pressure on the Privateer pitching all night. Dickson jumped on a 2-0 pitch and launched it to left field for a solo shot, and ACU led 5-4 in the fifth. After the bases were loaded, Tatrow stepped up and was hit by a pitch on a 3-0 count to double the lead, 6-4.
New Orleans answered with a run in the home fifth with a solo homer and it was a one-run game going to the final three innings.
Lefties strike in the late innings
ACU led by one, and with two on in the seventh inning, Tatrow stepped up and singled into center to plate both Gieser and Hammit for two huge runs. ACU led 8-5, and with
Max Huffling throwing very well in relief, ACU's lead looked like enough. Huffling went 4.0 innings in his relief outing, and would eventually earn the win after allowing just one run on one hit. ACU added another insurance run in the ninth when Eager launched a solo homer to left center, and it was a 9-5 lead. UNO scored one in the home ninth on a bases loaded walk, but after
Tanner Riley came in, ACU closed the door and held on for the win. The last out was a ball into left field with the bags loaded and ACU put the check mark in the win column.
Stat Pack
- Six Wildcats drove in runs, led by Tatrow's three RBI. Dickson drove in a pair as well.
- Eager led the way with three hits, including his team-leading fourth homer of the season.
- Dickson and Tatrow each recorded two hits in the win.
- Dickson and Eager each led the way with two runs scored.
- Morgan recorded eight strikeouts in the start.
- Huffling allowed just the one run on one hit with five punch outs.
- Riley earned the save, tossing 0.2 innings. It is the first save of the season for the right-hander.
Up Next
The teams take the field at 2 p.m. on Saturday for a doubleheader. The first game is seven innings, while the second game is nine innings. If the first game goes to extras, the second gets shortened to seven, per Southland Conference rules.
