ACU returns to Southland play, hosts UIW

ABILENE – After an eight-game, 10-day span that featured four non-conference matchups, ACU returns to the friendly confines of Crutcher Scott Field and returns to Southland action when it hosts UIW for a four-game weekend slate. The Wildcats (19-16, 10-10 SLC) opens the back half of the league schedule against the Cardinals (13-19, 9-15 SLC) and look to snap their three-game losing streak, beginning Friday night at 6:05 p.m. Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday's single game all begin at 2:05 p.m. as well.

The entire series can be seen on ACUSports.com.

FOLLOW THE SERIES

SERIES HISTORY

ACU leads the all-time series, 43-28, and features years of meetings back in the Division II days of both programs. ACU and UIW each moved up to Division I and the Southland Conference in 2014, and will now meet for the final time in the SLC; ACU heads to the WAC next season. The teams have not met in two seasons, with the last coming in 2019 with ACU winning 9-3. ACU leads the series 7-5 in Abilene since 2014.

THE PITCHING MATCHUPS

Game 1: RHP Tyler Morgan (0-2, 6.69 ERA) vs. Kayden Cassidy (0-1, 5.23 ERA)

Game 2: RHP Genner Cervantes (5-1, 5.52 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Garza (3-2, 4.60 ERA)

Game 3: LHP Adam Stephenson (0-4, 4.83 ERA) vs. TBD

Game 4: RHP Spencer Chirpich (3-2, 6.28 ERA) vs. TBD

ACU STORYLINES

• CERVANTES PITCHES WELL AT UT: Junior right-hander Genner Cervantes, in the biggest spot of his ACU career, went 5.1 innings, allowing just one run on four hits in the process. It was a mix of location and the changing of speeds that got Texas off guard. Cervantes kept ACU in it, but the 'Cats ultimately fell 3-1 in the middle of the three-game series.
• MILESTONE WIN: Head coach Rick McCarty earned his 50th win with the ACU program at Southeastern Louisiana. McCarty is in his third season with ACU, and holds a 52-50 overall record.
• TATROW LEADS WAY: Sophomore Grayson Tatrow led the way with a .545 average in Austin against the No. 3 team in the country, and one of the best pitching staffs in the nation. Tatrow went 6-for-11 with a double. The sophomore scored a run as well.
• HAMMIT'S DRIVING SAFELY: Brett Hammit drove in a run against UT, and currently ranks No. 2 in the Southland Conference in RBI this season with 35, and fifth in the league with seven homers.

SCOUTING UIW (13-19, 9-15 BIG 12)

• The Cardinals are coming off a series finale win over New Orleans, which allowed UIW to avoid the sweep last weekend. UIW dropped the first three games before claiming a 6-3 win.
• UIW has won one series this season in league play and has split two series.
• Taylor Darden leads the way with a .316 average, while Lee Thomas leads the way with 26 runs driven in.