ACU outlasts SFA in high-scoring affair

Saturday, March 19

Abilene

3:05 p.m.

Abilene Christian

10-8, 3-2

SFA

4-12, 0-5

Stephen F. Austin

Abilene Christian

3/19/2022 6:35:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

ABILENE – It's a series win for the ACU baseball team after a high-scoring, 12-8 victory over SFA in game two of the weekend Saturday afternoon at Crutcher Scott Field. The Wildcats (10-8, 3-2 WAC) are back over .500 in league play, and go for the sweep Sunday after a back-and-forth game two. ACU got an early 3-0 lead, SFA tied it, ACU went back up 6-3, SFA went in front 7-6, ACU then led 8-6, SFA tied it, then ACU took the lead for good. It was a wild, offensive-oriented game that featured two ties an and two lead changes between two long-time rivals. Seven players tallied hits, and the same seven drove in runs in the victory.

Series win! We got for the sweep tomorrow!#ATO | #GoWildcats pic.twitter.com/CMk42zJoRQ
— ACU Baseball (@ACU_Baseball) March 19, 2022

How It Happened
- The game started out as more of a pitching matchup, as both starters tossed two scoreless innings. That all changed in the third when Grayson Tatrow singled into right to score Brett Hammit.

He just keeps drivin' 'em in.@gtate__19 #ATO | #GoWildcats pic.twitter.com/IDqQyFnOfm
— ACU Baseball (@ACU_Baseball) March 19, 2022

- Colton Eager followed it up with a two-run single to score Mitchell Dickson and Tatrow, and ACU led 3-0.

Up the middle! A 3-0 lead!#ATO | #GoWildcats pic.twitter.com/bIC8rlIKc3
— ACU Baseball (@ACU_Baseball) March 19, 2022

- SFA answered in the top of the fourth with a three-run homer off ACU starter Breck Eichelberger.
- Aaron Staehely got the lead back with an rbi-groundout to score Bash Randle.
- Brett Hammit then put a ball onto Judge Ely Blvd after demolishing a ball to left field. The two-run shot gave ACU a 6-3 lead.

CRUSHED! Look out Judge Ely!@BeRett21 #ATO | #GoWildcats pic.twitter.com/XYUVcqpcwK
— ACU Baseball (@ACU_Baseball) March 19, 2022

- SFA answered with a four-run fifth to lead 7-6, but three of those runs were unearned against Eichelberger after an error in left plated three runs. SFA led 7-6 halfway through the game.
- ACU responded in the home fifth with an rbi-single into right center off the bat of Tommy Cruz. Miller Ladusau then backed that up with a sacrifice fly to score Cruz. ACU led 8-7 after five.

Two-run single for the lead!@CruzTcruz44 #ATO | #GoWildcats pic.twitter.com/CJGDgHaNLb
— ACU Baseball (@ACU_Baseball) March 19, 2022

- SFA equalized the game again, this time in the top of the sixth, with a sac fly to even it up at 8-8.
- ACU responded with three in the home seventh with a two-run single from Cruz, and a run-scoring single from Ladusau. The lead was 11-8, and ACU would not look back.

Insurance!#ATO | #GoWildcats pic.twitter.com/QJCUXV1zL5
— ACU Baseball (@ACU_Baseball) March 19, 2022

- Bash Randle gave ACU its final insurance run with a single to score Tatrow. ACU held on 12-8 with Tanner RIley shutting down the SFA offense in the final three innings.

More insurance from @BashRandle!#ATO | #GoWildcats pic.twitter.com/BUNeadbgVq
— ACU Baseball (@ACU_Baseball) March 19, 2022

Stat Pack
- The Wildcats recorded 17 hits on the day, led by three apiece from Tatrow, Eager, Randle, and Ladusau.
- Cruz led ACU with three RBI on the day, while Tatrow led the 'Cats with four runs scored.
- Cruz and Hammit tallied two hits, giving ACU six players with multi-hit days.
- Eager, Ladusau, and Hammit each drove in two runs.
- Eichelberger allowed just three earned, seven in total, in five innings of work. The right-hander recorded five strikeouts.
- Max Huffling pitched an inning, allowing a run on one hit.
- Riley got the win in relief, moving to 2-0 on the season, and pitched three innings out of the 'pen, allowing no runs on just one hit with four strikeouts.

What a snag! @triley_10 #ATO | #GoWildcats pic.twitter.com/D7onjCTLdj
— ACU Baseball (@ACU_Baseball) March 19, 2022

Beyond the Box Score
- The 17 hits are the second-most in a game this season behind the 22-hit game against Marist.
- It is the seventh multi-hit games for both Tatrow and Eager, and the sixth such game for Randle. It is the fourth multi-hit game for Ladusau. Cruz picked up his fifth multi-hit day, while Hammit had his second multi-hit game.

Up Next
- The series wraps up with the finale on Sunday, March 20. ACU goes for the sweep at 1:05 p.m. at Crutcher Scott Field.

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#ATO | #GoWildcats