ABILENE – One of the most, if not the most, highly-anticipated baseball seasons ever at Abilene Christian got underway Friday afternoon at Crutcher Scott Field, and what a start it was. ACU battled Summit League champion and 2021 NCAA Regional qualifier North Dakota State, and the game came down to the very end. ACU led early, NDSU tied it up, and the 'Cats struck twice in the eighth, coming away with a 5-3 win on Opening Day. The Wildcats got outstanding outings from
Max Huffling and
Tanner Riley in the bullpen, and came away with clutch at-bats in the late innings to start their season 1-0 for the third consecutive season.
How It Happened
- After a lead-off walk in the top of the first, sophomore right-hander
Tyler Morgan settled down with a scoreless frame, and ACU responded in the home half. The 'Cats sent eight to the plate in the first, including hits from
Mitchell Dickson and
Grayson Tatrow to get it started.
Colton Eager drove in Dickson with a sacrifice fly, and
Tommy Cruz ripped a ground ball to third base to drive in Tatrow. ACU left the bases loaded, but held the early lead.
- NDSU's Will Busch hit a home run to right field to get the visitors on the board.
- Tatrow bunted Dickson over in the home second, and after Eager was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second, they both advanced on a passed ball.
Tommy Cruz stepped in and sent a ground ball up the middle. The NDSU shortstop gloved it and threw to first, but it was not in time as Cruz was safe and Dickson scored. Eager was then thrown out at the plate, but ACU led 3-1 after the first two innings.
- Morgan pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the third, but ran into trouble in the fourth. NDSU doubled in a pair of runs to tie the game, and
Max Huffling came in relief of Morgan, getting the final out with a punchout.
- Huffling then took over before giving way to Riley, and ACU kept the game tied going to the home eighth.
-
Bash Randle walked with one out, and after an error at third base off the bat of Dickson, ACU was in business with runners at second and third. Randle would come in to score on a wild pitch to give ACU a 4-3 lead, and Eager followed with an insurance run on an rbi-double into left center.
- Riley closed the door in the ninth to secure the win.
Stat Pack
- Eager and Cruz led the way with two hits and two rbi each.
- Dickson reached three times with a pair of walks, and scored three times.
- Dickson, Tatrow,
Brett Hammit, and
Bryson Hill each recorded a knock as well.
- The bullpen was outstanding; Huffling did not allow a run in 3.0 innings with one hit allowed and three strike outs. Riley went 2.1 innings to get the win, allowing no runs on two hits with four punch outs.
Beyond the Box Score
-
Tanner Riley now has seven wins since the start of the 2021 season as a closer. Riley went 6-2 in 2021.
- ACU is now 27-10 since the start of the 2020 season at Crutcher Scott Field. The 'Cats are 49-21 at home under
Rick McCarty.
Up Next
The teams will get together for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1:05 p.m. The series wraps up Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
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