Williams, Martin lead ACU offense Friday in loss at UTA

ARLINGTON – Garrett Williams and Eric Martin each tallied two hits, Martin brought home a pair of runs, but the ACU baseball team had its four-game winning streak snapped on Friday night at Clay Gould Ball Park, falling to UT Arlington, 4-3. The Wildcats (14-4, 3-1 WAC) led 3-0 after the first two innings, but the Mavericks (8-10, 3-1 WAC) responded to tie it after four innings. The game remained that way until UTA scored the winner in the bottom of the eighth and held on for the win in the top of the ninth. ACU held a 9-8 advantage in hits, but came up just short in the end. The teams will meet on Saturday for game two of the series at 2 p.m.

How It Happened
- ACU jumped out to a 1-0 start in the top of the first inning right away, and it was all Miller Ladusau. The junior singled to get one, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a passed ball. It was an adventurous trip around the bases, and it put the 'Cats up early.
- Wildcat starter Tyler Morgan allowed a double in the first, but worked through it for a scoreless inning. His offense would build up a 3-0 lead in the top of the second.
- Maddox Miesse singled to start the second, and moved to second on a balk. Martin then singled and moved to second on an error, and it put Miesse at third with no one out. After back-to-back outs, Williams delivered with a two-run single to push the visitor's lead to 3-0.
- UTA chipped into its early deficit in the home third with a sacrifice fly, and tied it in the home fourth with an rbi-groundout and a passed ball. The game was all tied up at 3-3 heading to the fifth.
- UTA left the bases loaded in the fifth and ACU left two on in the seventh, but outside of that, there were not a lot of opportunities to score. UTA took advantage and broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run from Cade Sumbler off Max Huffling. ACU had a chance in the top of the ninth down a run, but despite a single and a walk with only one out, Logan Britt and Tanner Tweedt each flied out to end the game.

Stat Pack
- Williams and Martin led the way with two hits apiece, and Williams' two runs driven in led the 'Cats Friday night.
- While Tweedt didn't have a hit, the catcher did reach base twice via walk.
- ACU left 10 runners on Friday.
- Morgan went just four innings, the fewest of the season for the junior, allowing two earned on five hits with three strikeouts.
- Luke Krkovski went 1.1 out of the bullpen allowing no runs on just one hit with a pair of strikeouts.
- Huffling went 2.2 to finish the game, but takes his first loss of the season (3-1). The lefty allowed one run on two hits with one strikeout.

Beyond the Box Score
- Martin tied a career-high with his two hits Friday. He now has three games with two hits this season.
- The Wildcats and Mavericks played their first-ever game as conference opponents on Friday.
- Friday marked the first time this season ACU was the visiting team in a game. ACU had played 16 of its first 17 games at Crutcher Scott Field, and the one game away from Abilene was a neutral-site game at Globe Life Field in Arlington against Oklahoma. The Wildcats were the home team against the Sooners that night.

On Deck
- Game two fo the series is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday on ESPN+. RHP Breck Eichelberger (1-0, 7.43 ERA) gets the ball for ACU and goes against RHP Brayden Brooks (0-1, 6.55 ERA) for UT Arlington.