RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The ACU baseball team was one strike away from its fourth consecutive loss, and instead turned it into a come-from-behind win to stun California Baptist in 10 innings on Saturday night.
Crew Parke singled with two outs in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 4-4, and
Grayson Tatrow delivered with a solo home run in the top of the 10th to take the lead. Veteran pitcher
Zach Smith then struck out three CBU batters in the bottom half to secure a massive win, 5-4. The Wildcats (26-15, 11-9 WAC) get back even in the series and even in the conference standings with the Lancers (22-21, 11-9 WAC) in fourth place. It is a massive win for ACU, and now the team can turn to an early start time for the rubber match on Sunday at 10 a.m. local time (12 p.m. CT) to try to win the series.
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How It Happened
- ACU was the team that jumped in front this time, putting together a three-run third inning.
Holden Rook got the scoring started with an rbi-double into left center field to score Parke. It was ACU's first lead of the weekend.
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Logan Britt then delivered a roller up the middle that made its way into center field to plate Rook, and the 'Cats were cooking, up 2-0.
- Tatrow then added to the fun in the inning with a fielder's choice that brought home
Garrett Williams, and ACU had a comfortable lead, 3-0. Or so they thought.
- CBU responded in the home fourth, and every run scored for the Lancers in the game came on one swing. Shane Simpson launched a grand slam off starter
Breck Eichelberger to give CBU the lead, but it would be the only runs for the home team Saturday.
- Eichelberger was then pulled in the fifth inning for
Adam Stephenson, and the lefty would absolutely dominate. CBU would not have another hit until the bottom of the eighth frame, and despite ACU struggling on offense, the bullpen did its thing to keep the game within reach.
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Miller Ladusau singled with one out in the top of the ninth, and after a
Maddox Miesse popout, it looked bleak for the 'Cats. However,
Jake Skaggs had a key at-bat. It looked like he would ground out to short to end the inning, but after the ball bounced off the body of CBU shortstop Josh Paino, Skaggs hustled down and slid head-first into the bag and beat the throw. The error extended the inning, and Parke delivered with a two-out, two-strike single to tie the game.
- Stephenson started the bottom of the ninth but was pulled after a two-out walk to put the winning run at second base. Smith came in, and after a balk to move the runners, ACU made a move to intentionally walk the league-leader in home runs, Mitchel Simon, to load the bags. Smith then got a fly out to send the game to extra innings.
- Tatrow then had a flair for the dramatic in the 10th. The veteran launched a solo home run into right field with two outs in the inning to give ACU a 5-4 lead, putting the pressure back on CBU. Smith then went back out and struck out three batters in the 10th to secure the win.
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Stat Pack
- Smith got the win in relief (2-1) after getting the final four outs of the game for ACU. The veteran right-hander did not allow a hit and tallied three strikeouts, all in the 10th.
- Stephenson threw 75 pitches in 4.0 innings of relief work, allowing no runs on two hits with five strikeouts.
- Eichelberger went 4.2 innings in the start, allowing four runs on eight hits with five punch outs.
- Tatrow and Parke each tallied two hits as a part of an eight-hit night for ACU. Tatrow drove in a pair, including his go-ahead solo shot in the 10th.
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Beyond the Box Score
- Tatrow's homer was his second in extra innings this season, with both coming in road games. The ACU left fielder launched a go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the 11th inning in Waco to beat Baylor at the end of March.
- The ACU bullpen has thrown 9.0 scoreless innings in two games. Stephenson, Smith,
Sam Berberich, and
Drake Boggan have all been fantastic in back-to-back nights, allowing just three hits and striking out 17 batters.
- ACU is now 3-2 in extra-inning games this season.
On Deck
- The rubber match of this all-important series gets underway early on Sunday. It's a 10 a.m. local time (12 p.m. CT) start in Riverside. ACU gives RHP
Austin Glaze (2-0, 6.41 ERA) the ball, and the starter for CBU is TBD. The game airs on ESPN+.
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#ATO | #GoWildcats
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