Morgan sets record, ACU wins opener at SFA

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Sophomore Tyler Morgan set a new Division I program record on the mound, Grayson Tatrow and Hunter Gieser each drove in three runs, and the ACU baseball team picked up a game one victory over SFA, 11-2, to move two games ahead in the fourth-place spot in the WAC Southwest Division standings. The Wildcats (21-20, 9-10 WAC) led 3-0 going to the seventh, then erupted for eight runs in the final three innings of the game, and got outstanding pitching all night, to win by nine. ACU also set a team pitching record with 20 strikeouts in the game, the most in the D1 era as well.

How It Happened
- Tatrow brought in the first run of the night in the top of the third with a sacrifice fly to plate Brett Hammit.
- Gieser doubled down the left field line in the top of the fourth to score Miller Ladusau, giving ACU a 2-0 advantage.
- Tatrow drove in his second run of the night with a groundout in the fifth to plate Bash Randle, and the 'Cats led 3-0.
- The game stayed 3-0 til the seventh, when ACU got a solo home run from Hammit to lead off the inning. Randle eventually came around to score on a passed ball to make it 4-0.
- SFA got a pair of runs back in the seventh inning, and ACU led 5-2 going to the eighth.
- In the eighth, Hammit was walked with the bases loaded and Randle was hit by the pitch with the bags packed to go up 7-2. Mitchell Dickson followed it up with an rbi-single, and Tatrow tallied his third RBI with a groundout. The game was blown open, as ACU led 9-2.
- Gieser sent out a two-run homer in the ninth to complete the scoring.

Stat Pack
- Morgan's night featured 6.1 innings, allowing no earned runs on seven hits with 12 strikeouts.
- Carter Sells 1.2 innings of scoreless baseball came with five strikeouts, while Drake Boggan struck out all three in the ninth.
- Four Wildcats (Dickson, Gieser, Randle, and Tanner Tweedt) recorded two hits each, while Gieser and Tatrow each drove in three.
- Gieser's homer, as well as Hammit's blast, were both their eighth of the season, respectively. 

Beyond the Box Score
- Morgan's 12 strikeouts are the most by a single pitcher in a single game in ACU's Division I history.
- The 20 combined strikeouts is the most in a single game in ACU's Division I history.
- ACU hit the 400 strikeout mark for the season, just the second time in the Division I history of the program (473 in 2021).

On Deck
- Game two of the series has been adjusted to 1 p.m. on Saturday due to possible rain conditions in Nacogdoches. The game airs on ESPN+.

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