HUNTSVILLE – Abilene Christian rose up for an 8-7 win to salvage a split of the series at Sam Houston on Sunday.
The Wildcats got the game going on the right foot in the first inning when
Maddox Miesse singled home
Logan Britt ahead of an RBI double by
Bash Randle for a 2-0 lead.
Garrett Williams doubled in a run for a 3-0 lead in the second.
ACU bagged four runs in the third inning.
Eric Martin got the RBI parade rolling with an RBI single through the left side.
Crew Parke followed with an RBI double. Martin scored on an RBI grounder by
Holden Rook and Williams made it 7-0 with a sacrifice fly.
Joe Redfield had a two-run home run to highlight a three-run third for the Bearkats, then added an RBI single in the two-run fourth to draw Sam Houston to within 7-5.
The hosts picked up a run in the seventh but Miesse answered with an RBI single in the top of the eighth.
The Bearkats got the first two runners aboard to start the ninth but
Zach Smith got a double play and a strikeout to get out of the jam with only one run crossing the plate.
Smith picked up his third save of the season and
Drake Boggan threw three innings of relief to move to 3-1.
ACU racked up 11 hits in the game, led by Britt, Miesse, Randle and Rook with two each.
The win thrust the Cats back into a winning percentage tie with Stephen F. Austin for second at 8-4, 2.5 games back of the Bearkats.
Now 23-8 on the season, ACU hosts TCU at 6:05 p.m. Tuesday at Crutcher Scott Field before Grand Canyon comes to town for a three-game set beginning Friday.
