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Historic three-game series at #3 Texas awaits ACU baseball

AUSTIN – For the first time since 2017 and just the fifth time ever, the ACU baseball team will take on a Power 5 opponent for a three-game series. The Wildcats have one of the most prolific opponents in program history on the schedule this weekend, the No. 3 team the country, the Texas Longhorns. ACU (19-13, 10-10 SLC) heads to UFCU Disch-Falk Field for a full weekend of action on the diamond against one of the nation's best, who are on a 10-game winning streak. The ‘Cats are coming off a home win over UT-Arlington, and now close out their non-conference portion of the schedule this weekend in the state’s capital.

ACU plays its fifth three-or-more game series against a Power 5 opponent; the Wildcats played at Arizona for a three-game series in 2014, and in 2017, hosted Michigan State for four games, went to Kansas State for three, and went to No. 1 Oregon State for three.

The entire series in Austin airs on the Longhorn Network, and can be heard on 102.7 The Bear and the iHeart Radio app.

FOLLOW THE SERIES

SERIES HISTORY

ACU will head to the site of their final game of the wild 2020 season. The Wildcats lost to Texas on March 11, and played what would be their last game before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The Longhorns won that matchup, 9-1, with Colton Eager driving in the lone run with a triple in the eighth inning. ACU used nine pitchers that night, and were getting ready to head back home to host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi before the season was canceled.

THE PITCHING MATCHUPS

Game 1: RHP Tyler Morgan (0-1, 4.54 ERA) vs. RHP Ty Madden (4-1, 1.69 ERA)

Game 2: RHP Genner Cervantes (5-1, 6.02 ERA) vs. RHP Tristan Stevens (5-1, 2.98 ERA)

Game 3: RHP Spencer Chirpich (3-2, 5.18 ERA) vs. RHP Kolby Kubichek (4-2, 2.63 ERA)

ACU STORYLINES

  • HIGH-SCORING HOME WIN OVER MAVERICKS: Brett Hammit and Miller Ladusau each hit home runs, and Colton Eager drove in a run in the seventh inning to power the Wildcats to a Tuesday night home win over UT-Arlington. ACU never trailed, but UTA tied the game on multiple occasions, and got as close as one before Tanner Riley got the final three outs to secure an 11-10 win at The Crutch.
  • MILESTONE WIN: Head coach Rick McCarty earned his 50th win with the ACU program last Friday at Southeastern Louisiana. McCarty is in his third season with ACU, and holds a 52-47 record overall.
  • CHECK-IN ON HITTING RANKINGS: It's no secret the Wildcat offense has been good this year. How good? Here's where they rank in different categories nationally:
    • 10th (1st Southland) - Runs Scored (250)
    • 12th (1st Southland) - Hits (318)
    • 16th (2nd Southland) - Total Walks (160)
    • 17th (1st Southland) - Runs Per Game (7.8)
    • 18th (1st Southland) - Doubles (64)
    • 24th (2nd Southland) - On Base Percentage (.400)
    • 26th (1st Southland) - Batting Average (.295)
  • INDIVIDUAL LEADERS: Speaking of rankings, here's where some of the Wildcats rank individually in the Southland Conference and in the country:
    • Colton Eager
      • 1st - Batting Average (.373)
      • 1st (8th NCAA) - Hits (47)
      • 1st (12th NCAA) - Total Bases (83)
      • 2nd (28th NCAA) - Runs Scored (33)
      • 3rd - Walks (21)
      • 3rd (13th NCAA) - Doubles (12)
      • 3rd - Home Runs (8)
      • 3rd (41st NCAA) - RBI (33)
      • 3rd - Slugging Percentage (.659)
    • Mitchell Dickson
      • 1st - Batting Average (.373)
      • 2nd - On-Base Percentage (.469)
      • 3rd - Hits (41)
      • 4th - RBI (30)
      • 5th - Runs Scored (30)
    • Tommy Cruz
      • 5th - Walks (20)
    • Genner Cervantes
      • 1st (16th NCAA) - Wins (5)
      • 2nd (12th NCAA) - Complete Games (2)
    • Hunter Gieser
      • 2nd - Hit By Pitch (10)
      • 6th - Runs Scored (29)
      • 7th - Doubles (9)
    • Brett Hammit
      • 2nd (34th NCAA) - RBI (34)
      • 5th - Home Runs (7)
      • 6th - Slugging Percentage (.587)
    • Tanner Riley
      • 1st (16th NCAA) - Wins (5)
      • 5th - Pitching Appearances (13)
      • 6th - Saves (4)
    • Mike Brown
      • 11th - Stolen Bases (8)
    • Spencer Chirpich
      • 6th - Walks Allowed Per Nine Innings (1.94)

SCOUTING #3 TEXAS (27-8, 10-2 BIG 12)

  • UT is riding a 10-game winning streak coming into the series, and is coming off a two-game series sweep over Nevada at home on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both wins over the Wolfpack were by just one run each, 4-3 and 6-5.
  • The offense is scoring about seven runs per game, but the strength is the pitching. The staff ranks seventh in the country with a 3.04 team ERA. UT doesn't get a lot of strikeouts, but pitches to contact and has a tremendous defense behind their pitchers. 
  • Offensively, the 'Horns rank ninth in the country in walks taken (175), first in doubles (75), and seventh in hits (327).
  • Ivan Melendez is the leader in batting average (.379), and Mitchell Daly is right behind at .352. Melendez is also the top RBI man in the lineup, driving in a team-high 33 runs this season.