FRESNO, Calif. – Hunter Gieser pounded two homers and drove in five runs,
Grayson Tatrow launched his 10th homer of the season, but the ACU baseball team surrendered a late lead Friday night to Fresno State, falling 9-8 in a wild, back-and-forth affair. The Bulldogs (17-17) led 2-0 through five innings, the Wildcats (17-18) got one back in the sixth and then took the lead with a five-run seventh inning, but the home team scored seven times in the home eighth to win the game, 9-8. The series is now tied heading into Saturday afternoon's finale.
How It Happened
- Fresno State took the lead with an rbi-double in the second inning and a home run in the third. The Bulldogs took their 2-0 lead all the way to the sixth.
- ACU loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, and Gieser stepped up and did his job by driving in
Bash Randle with a sacrifice fly. ACU was only able to scrape across one in the inning, but would have a big seventh frame.
- The 'Cats loaded the bases for the second consecutive inning, and this time they really took advantage.
Brett Hammit drove two runs in with a double to center field to put ACU in front, 3-2.
- The baton was passed to Gieser, the next batter, and the big first baseman crushed one to right center field to open the lead up to 6-2 with the three-run shot.
- Tatrow stepped up to the plate in the top of the eighth, and absolutely demolished one to right field for a solo homer to push the advantage to 7-2.
- Fresno State was not done, however. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with no one out, and scored on a hit by pitch and a walk to make it a 7-4 game. After a pitching change, Fresno hit a grand slam to get the lead back, 8-7, and added an rbi-single later in the inning to go up 9-7 heading to the ninth.
- Gieser hit a solo home run in the ninth inning, but ACU fell 9-8.
Stat Pack
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Tyler Morgan got the start Friday night, going 5.0 innings, allowing two earned on six hits with six strikeouts.
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Trevor Jackson pitched two innings out of hte bullpen, allowing four earned on two hits with three strikeouts.
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Adam Byrd went 0.1 inning, allowing one earned on no hits.
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Tanner Riley pitched the final 0.2 inning, allowing two earned on three hits.
- Gieser tallied two hits, both long balls, his sixth and seventh of the year, and matched a career-high with five RBI.
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Bryson Hill had a three-hit night to lead ACU, and scored a run.
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Bash Randle and
Aaron Staehely each recorded two hits, with Randle scoring a pair of runs.
Beyond the Box Score
- Randle now has six hits this week against UTA and Fresno State; he also has hit two home runs and have driven in eight runs this week.
- Friday marked the 20th game this season with 10 or more hits.
- ACU as a team as now hit at least one home run in seven of its last eight games.
Up Next
- Game three fo the series begins Saturday afternoon at 3:05 p.m. Right-hander
Genner Cervantes goes for ACU, and the game will air on the Mountain West Network.
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