ABILENE – The weekend got off to a great start for the Wildcat baseball team, picking up a 9-2 victory over Marist College in the series opener Friday night at Crutcher Scott Field. ACU (5-4) gets back on track by scoring four runs in the third and three runs in the sixth on the way to the victory. Friday marked the first-ever meeting between the schools and the first-ever meeting for ACU against a team from the MAAC.
How It Happened
-
Tyler Morgan got off to a great start, tossing the first five innings, allowing a pair of runs. Marist scored in the first, but not again until the fifth off the sophomore right-hander.
- ACU, trailing 1-0 through two-and-half innings, changed that with a big home third.
Bash Randle mashed his first homer of the season to tie the game.
- After a pair of fly outs, the hits came in bunches.
Hunter Gieser and
Miller Ladusau roped back-to-back doubles to plate a run,
Grayson Tatrow then singled to score Ladusau, and
Brett Hammit doubled to score Tatrow. The 'Cats plated four in the third to grab a lead they would not surrender.
- Marist scored again in the top of the fifth, but would not score again.
- ACU blew the game open in the bottom of the sixth. Randle grounded out to plate
Bryson Hill, then
Tommy Cruz drove in a run with a single, and Gieser used a sacrifice fly to score the third run of the inning.
- ACU scored two more in the home eighth with
Colton Eager scoring after a throwing error at third, and Ladusau doubled down the left field line to score
Tommy Cruz.
Stat Pack
- Morgan got the win, his second of the young season, tossing five with seven strikeouts.
-
Carter Sells was phenomenal in relief, tossing a four-inning save, allowing no runs on just one hit with a strikeout.
- Eight players recorded hits, led by Eager, Ladusau, and Tatrow, who all had two apiece.
- Six Wildcats drove in a run, with Randle and Ladusau driving in two each.
- ACU drew five walks and recorded 11 total hits.
Beyond the Box Score
- The home run for Randle was his first of the year, and his first since May 9, 2021 against Lamar.
- Friday marked the second time this week, and the only two times this season, ACU had six players drive in a run; the 'Cats did so in the series finale against Michigan State on Monday.
Up Next
- The series continues with the middle game on Saturday, March 5. ACU goes for the series win at 3:05 p.m. at Crutcher Scott Field.
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