ABILENE – Grayson Tatrow hit a pair of home runs and drove in five,
Tanner Tweedt launched one out of the park, and the ACU baseball team dominated from the get-go on Sunday to pick up a 12-1, seven-inning win on Mother's Day over its rival Tarleton to claim the series. The Wildcats (31-20, 15-12 WAC) had five players with multiple hits, tallied 12 hits in total, and limited the Texans (24-24, 8-17 WAC) to just four hits in the run-rule victory. The win was huge for ACU to remain in contention for a coveted top-four finish in the WAC standings; ACU is tied for fourth place with both California Baptist and Seattle U, all at 15-12, heading into the final series of the season next weekend. The Wildcats have now won each of the last two series against Tarleton dating back to last season.
Prior to the game, the team recognized all the moms of the players in attendance with a ceremonial first pitch.
How It Happened
- Right-hander
Austin Glaze got the start Sunday and was brilliant despite allowing a run on a sac fly in the top of the first inning. That would be all Tarleton would get.
- Tatrow responded with a monster blast to center field to tie the game in the bottom of the first inning. And he would not be done.
- ACU loaded the bases in the bottom of the first and
Jack Nielsen got an RBI with a walk to put ACU in front, 2-1, and for good.
- The 'Cats loaded the bases again in the bottom of the second, and Tatrow picked up his second RBI with a sac fly in foul territory to left field to score
Holden Rook.
Garrett Williams drove in a run with a single on the infield to make it 4-1, then baserunning helped the Wildcats when Williams stole third then scored on a high throw that went into left field.
Tanner Tweedt capped the monster five-run second frame with a two-run home run to left, and it was 7-1 ACU after two.
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Miller Ladusau would bring home a pair of runs in the fifth inning with a single to right field, and Tatrow followed that up with a three-run bomb to center in the home sixth to enforce the run-rule.
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Adam Byrd pitched the top of the sixth and
Drake Boggan threw a scoreless seventh to end the game.
Stat Pack
- Tatrow's homers were his 20th and 21st of the season. He was a part of a group of five players who led the way with two hits each, including
Logan Britt, Williams, Ladusau, and Tweedt.
- Britt and Tatrow led the way with three runs scored each, while Tatrow's five RBI were a game-best. Ladusau and Tweedt each drove in a pair on Sunday.
- ACU, despite scoring 12 times in six frames, still left 10 on base. The offense had 29 at-bats and put constant traffic on the base paths.
- Glaze got the win (3-1), tossing 5.0 innings allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts.
- Byrd punched out two batters in the sixth inning and Boggan struck out a pair in the seventh.
Beyond the Box Score
- Tatrow is tied at the top of the all-time list, not just the Division I era, with 21 home runs this season. He has tied Mike Elkerson, who hit 21 in 2008, for the most in a single campaign.
- Tatrow recorded his fourth career multi-homer game and his third this season.
- Tweedt's blast was his ninth of the year.
- Glaze's 5.0 innings matches a career-high.
- ACU stole six bases Sunday, the second-most in a game this season (7 vs. Stephen F. Austin).
On Deck
- The Wildcats will line up against the Roadrunners of UTSA on Tuesday, May 16 for the final home game of the regular season. It is a 4:05 p.m. start time at The Crutch, airing on ESPN+.
#ATO | #GoWildcats
