ABILENE – Grayson Tatrow tallied five hits and drove in seven runs,
Garrett Williams had five hits as well, and the ACU baseball team completed a doubleheader sweep of Houston Christian at Crutcher Scott Field on Saturday. The Wildcats (10-2) scored seven runs in the first three innings of game one and held on for a 12-6 victory before exploding for a seven-run fifth inning in game two to sweep the day, 9-5. ACU has won five straight and will now go for the four-game sweep on Sunday.
How It Happened - Game 1
- The Huskies got off to a 1-0 start in the top of the first off ACU starter
Rolando De La Cruz, but the 'Cats would answer right away in the home half. Tatrow singled up the middle to score both Williams and
Logan Britt, and the home grabbed the lead, 2-1.
- HCU never backed down. The visitors answered with two more in the top of the second to go back in front, 3-2, but ACU's offense went right back to work.
Eric Martin, making his first start of the season, drew a walk to lead off the inning, and moved to third on a
Bash Randle double. Williams and
Miller Ladusau then went back-to-back with singles to drive in a pair of runs to tie and take the lead, and the 'Cats led 4-3.
Tanner Tweedt and
Maddox Miesse were each hit by a pitch alter in the inning, both with the bases loaded, and it was a 6-3 lead after two.
- HCU plated two more in the top of the third to get back in it, 6-5, and again it was on the offense to respond. Check. Ladusau singled in Randle and the 'Cats went right back up 7-5. It was a wild first three innings in game one, with 12 total runs being scored. The pitching settled down after that.
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Luke Krkovski, who took over in the second inning, did a good job in relief to keep ACU in front. The left-hander delivered with 3.2 innings and got ACU to the home fifth up 7-5.
- Randle added to the lead in the home fifth with a single on the infield to score Martin, and Britt followed with a sacrifice fly to go up 9-5. Tweedt singled up the middle to score two more, and the lead blossomed all the way out to 11-5.
- HCU homered in the sixth, but Williams got that run back in the home eighth with an RBI single to bring home Martin.
How It Happened - Game 2
- The Wildcats got the scoring started in game two with Williams scoring when Ladusau reached on an error.
- Miesse doubled to lead of the bottom of the second inning and Tatrow follwed with a single to bring him home, pushing the Wildcat lead to 2-0.
- The Huskies answered with a run in the top of the third to cut the deficit in half, 2-1.
- ACU broke the game wide open in the bottom of the fifth, putting up seven runs in the frame.
Crew Parke lead off the inning with a triple and Ladusau followed with a walk to put runners at first and third.
Logan Britt followed with a triple of his own to score both Parke and Ladusau to push the lead to 4-1.
- Britt scored on an error that allowed Randle to reach base safely and then a single and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Tatrow. With the count full, Tatrow launched a 421-foot grand slam to give the Wildcats the 9-1 lead.
- The Huskies threatened in the bottom of the seventh, bringing home four runs, but the Wildcats held on to earn the 9-5 victory.
Saturday Stat Pack
- Tatrow went 5-8 at the plate with five runs driven in.
- Tweedt and Britt each accounted for three RBI on the day while Williams and Ladusau each drove in two runs.
- The Wildcats totaled nine extra-base hits on the day with six double, two triples, and one homerun.
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Luke Krkovski earned the win in game one for his first win of the season.
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Breck Eichelberger bounced back after the rough start last weekend to pitch five innings with just one earned run to get the win in game two.
Beyond the Box Score
- With his five RBI on the day, Tatrow now leads the team with 11 RBI on the season.
- Both Krkovski and Eichelberger eanred their first decisions of the season.
- Williams extended his hitting streak to 10 games. The longest streak of the season for any Wildcat.
- Britt leads the team with seven multi-hit games on the year after his two-hit performance in game one.
On Deck
- The Wildcats will close out their series with the Huskies tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m. The game will be broadcast on WAC International. Right-handed pitcher
Austin Glaze (1-0) will get the ball for the finale.
#ATO | #GoWildcats
