ABILENE – Senior
Eric Wimpee singled into center field with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, and the ACU baseball team walked off with its sixth-straight win Friday night after a 3-2 victory over the Lamar Cardinals. Wimpee, in just his 10th at-bat of the season and his second at-bat with the bases loaded, worked a 2-2 count, and delivered one up the middle just to the right of the second base bag to plate
Mitchell Dickson, and the Wildcats (25-17, 16-11 SLC) are now in the midst of their largest winning streak over the last four seasons.
Tanner Riley threw a scoreless ninth inning, and earned his 6-1 on the season.
The game moved very quickly with solid pitching throughout the entire night.
Tyler Morgan got the nod on the mound, and was dealing for seven innings. The right-hander tossed seven frames and allowed just two runs, and was impressive in the way he got out of jams. Morgan stranded Cardinal runners in the second, third, fifth and sixth innings Friday, and left in a tie game at 2-2.
ACU put runners on base in eight of the nine innings at the plate, and constantly put pressure on the Cardinals. Lamar was also up to the task for the majority of the game as Cardinal starter Braxton Douthit threw 5.1 innings of one-run ball. The Wildcats trailed 1-0 in the third inning, tied it in the home half, and did the same thing in the seventh inning as well to even it at two runs apiece.
Lamar scored on a fielder's choice after ACU was unable to turn a double play on two straight chances, and it was 1-0 in the third. The 'Cats had the response in the home half when Dickson led off with a single and
Tommy Cruz drove him in with a two-out double to right center field. Lamar had shifted just a bit over into the left-center field gap, and Cruz delivered with a double to even the game. The pitchers then went back to work and kept it a 1-1 game all the way to the seventh.
Lamar catcher Ryan Snell led off the seventh with a long home run to left field to put the visitors up 2-1, and it appeared as those it would be enough to get the visitors over the hump. However, ACU had an immediate answer again.
Cameron Cromer, making just his eighth start of the season, got the nod at shortstop, and started the inning off with a double down the right-field line, and was moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt from
Alexei Cazarin. Dickson then stepped in and wasted no time with a single into center field to tie the game with just one out. The game moved into the eighth tied at two.
Max Huffling took over in the eighth and got around a one-out single to retire the side unharmed, and Huffling faced the first batter in the ninth before handing if off to
Tanner Riley. Riley allowed a single, but stranded a pair of batters to set up the heroics in the home ninth.
The bottom of the ninth began with a Dickson walk, and after
Grayson Tatrow flew out,
Colton Eager put the inning in motion with a double down the right-field line. It set up second and third with one out, and even though
Miller Ladusau struck out, Wimpee was there to be the Friday night hero.
Stat Pack
- Morgan went 7.0 strong innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts.
- Huffling went 1.0 inning of relief before Riley (6-1) gave ACU a chance with a scoreless ninth.
- Dickson went 3-for-4 in the leadoff spot, scored a pair of runs, and reached on a walk as well. Dickson was on base four times to pace the 'Cats at the top of the lineup.
- Cruz also had a three-hit day with a walk, and was clutch again with his 11th two-out RBI of the season.
- Cromer tallied two hits in his start in the eighth spot in the lineup.
- The current six-game winning streak is the longest streak against Southland opponents since joining the league in 2014.
Graduation
- Prior to the game, ACU honored six players for a little "commencement" ceremony out on the field.
Alexei Cazarin,
Spencer Chirpich,
Eric Wimpee,
Trevor Jackson,
Colton Eager, and
Zach Smith each were honored since they will not be able to participate in their commencement at Wildcat Stadium this weekend.
Up Next
The two teams will meet up on Saturday for a doubleheader that begins at 1:35 p.m. at Crutcher Scott Field. RHP
Genner Cervantes get the start for ACU in game one before LHP
Adam Stephenson gets the ball in game two. The games can be seen on ACUSports.com.
