ACU falls in 12-inning series finale to GCU

ABILENE – Logan Britt launched his ninth home run of the season, four players had multi-hit days, but the ACU baseball team fell in 12 innings to Grand Canyon in the rubber match on Sunday, 6-4. The Wildcats (24-11, 9-6 WAC) trailed most of the day, including 3-1 after four innings, but got a run in the fifth and the seventh to tie it up at 3-3. The Lopes (20-15, 11-7 WAC) then took the lead in the eighth, 4-3, only to have Britt tie it up in the eighth with the solo shot. GCU went in front for good in the top of the 12th, scoring twice, but ACU still had a chance in the home half, leaving the tying runs on base with no one out. Grand Canyon takes the series from ACU, and the Wildcats will now open up a four-game road trip starting next Wednesday in Austin at #19 Texas.

How It Happened
- Grand Canyon scored in the first inning in all three games this weekend, and did so with a solo home run from Cade Verdusco on Sunday. ACU starter Austin Glaze would go 3.1 innings, allowing a sacrifice fly to score a run in the second and another solo home run in the fourth inning.
- Meanwhile, down 2-0 in the bottom of the third, ACU put traffic on the base paths and got on the scoreboard when Garrett Williams drove in Jack Nielsen, who made his first start of the season, with a sacrifice fly.
- Down 3-1 in the home fifth, Williams delivered again, this time with an rbi-double into center field to plate Nielsen. It was a 3-2 deficit heading to the final third of the game.
- ACU tied it up in the bottom of the seventh on a very unique play. With the bases loaded and no one out, Williams stepped in and popped one up on the infield. The infield fly rule was in affect, and then the ball bounced off the glove of GCU second baseman Zack Gregory. The runners then took off, but Crew Parke was tagged out on the play after Eric Martin scored. The Wildcats tied it up, but lost any chance to take the lead in that inning.
- GCU responded by retaking the lead in the top of the eighth when Homer Bush Jr. scored on a wild pitch from ACU reliever Zach Smith. It was up to the offense to answer, and Britt did so to lead off the home eighth. His solo shot to left center field tied the game at 4-4, and Smith was pitching well in relief. The game would head to extra innings, and both teams would go down in order in the 10th.
- GCU had runners at first and second in the top of the 11th with one out, but Smith got a ground ball and the 'Cats turned two to end the inning.
- ACU then threatened in the home 11th, putting the first two runners on base. Nielsen then advanced the runners with a sac bunt, but Parke then struck out looking for the second out. GCU put Williams on intentionally to load the bags, and then Miller Ladusau struck out to end the inning.
- The Lopes took the lead with an rbi-single and a run-scoring wild pitch in the top of the 12th. It looked like that would be it for ACU, but the 'Cats put the first two on second and third base in the bottom half of the inning. However, back-to-back strikeouts ended the ball game, and GCU won it, 6-4.

Stat Pack
- Britt led ACU with three hits and his ninth homer of the season.
- Nielsen, Tatrow, and Williams all tallied two hits, with Williams driving in a team-best two runs.
- Glaze went 3.1 innings in the start, allowing three runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts.
- Max Huffling allowed just one run in 3.2 innings of relief on two hits with two strikeouts.
- Zach Smith took the loss (1-1) after throwing 4.2 innings in relief, allowing two runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts.
- Blake Anderson got the final out of the top of the 12th for ACU in his lone appearance of the weekend.

Beyond the Box Score
- Sunday marked the longest game, in innings, of the season (12). ACU is now 2-1 on the season in extra-inning games.
- Nielsen was 0-3 on the season coming into the day, but in his first start delivered with two hits in three at-bats.
- Huffling's 3.2 innings pitched was the longest outing since his 4.0 inning game against Stephen F. Austin on March 12.
- The 4.2 innings for Zach Smith were a career-most for the sixth-year senior out of Abilene.

On Deck
- ACU has a week-long, four-game road trip starting on Wednesday, April 19 at #19 Texas in Austin. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m., and the game will air on the Longhorn Network and on the radio on the ACU Sports Network and The Varsity Network app.