Cervantes matches career-high in strikeouts at Lamar

BEAUMONT, Texas – Senior Genner Cervantes matched a career-high in strikeouts, Colton Eager recorded a pair of hits, but the ACU baseball team dropped a tough, 3-2 ballgame at Lamar Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats (14-12, 6-5 WAC) held two different one-run leads at 1-0 and 2-1, before the Cardinals (15-12, 6-5 WAC) tied the game in the bottom half of each of those innings, and taking the lead in the eighth. The teams have split the first two games of the series, and now turn their attention to the rubber match on Sunday afternoon to decide a series winner.

How It Happened
- After two scoreless innings, ACU grabbed the first lead in the top of the third when Mitchell Dickson singled up the middle to plate Bryson Hill.
- Lamar responded immediately in the home third with an rbi-triple to even the score.
- Cervantes and Lamar starter Adam Wheaton settled in and dealt, keeping the game tied at one all the way til the sixth. Max Huffling took over the fifth for Cervantes, and he kept his end of the deal, tossing two scoreless to get it to the sixth.
- ACU grabbed a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth when Grayson Tatrow launched a solo shot to right field.
- Lamar evened the game in the home sixth with a double, and the game was tied at 2-2 heading into the final three innings.
- Lamar scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run.

Stat Pack
- Cervantes went 4.0 innings, allowing one earned on six hits, and the right-hander matched a career-best with eight strikeouts, doing so in the second-straight game.
- Huffling threw 4.0 innings in relief, taking the loss after allowing two earned on just two hits wth four strikeouts.
- Eager led the way with two hits, while five other Wildcats recorded a hit as well.
- Dickson and Tatrow had the lone RBI on the day for ACU.
- Tatrow launched his team-leading seventh homer of the season.

Beyond the Box Score
- Cervantes recorded eight strikeouts against Tarleton last Sunday, and now has 16 of his 32 strikeouts in the last two games.

Up Next
- Sunday's finale begins at 1 p.m. in Beaumont, as ACU goes for the series win.

Follow ACU on Social Media
Twitter: @ACUsports | @ACU_Baseball
Instagram: @acusports | @acu_baseball
Facebook: /ACUSports