Bearkats walk off Wildcats in 11 innings

MESA, Ariz. – After 10 consecutive scoreless half innings, Sam Houston's Justin Wishkoski hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 11th inning on Wednesday night to top ACU, 11-7. The No. 5 seed Wildcats went back and forth with the No. 2 seed Bearkats all afternoon and evening in a game that featured 18 runs, 25 hits, 5 lead changes, and 2 ties. The game was even at 7-7 in the middle of the sixth inning, then both bullpens dominated to get it to the 11th. Sam Houston loaded the bases with no one out and hit a grand slam directly down the line in left to end the ballgame. After a review, it was determined the ball stayed fair and left Hohokam Stadium, and the Bearkats celebrated a win. ACU drops to the consolation side of the bracket and will play the loser of final game of Wednesday night, Grand Canyon and UTRGV. The Wildcats will now play at 2 p.m. CT on Wednesday in the consolation quarterfinal round.

How It Happened
- Sam Houston scored in the first inning on a fielder's choice off starter Tyler Morgan, but ACU jabbed back in the top of the second frame. Local product Crew Parke roped a double into left center field to score both Jack Nielsen and Maddox Miesse to go up 2-1, and Holden Rook singled in Parke to push an early lead to 3-1.
- Sam got a run back in the home second with an RBI-groundout, but Morgan was keeping the Bearkats in check so far.
- Grayson Tatrow hit his first of two triples in the third inning and Garrett Williams singled him home to push ACU's lead to 4-2, but the Bearkats would respond with two in the home half on a throwing error by Miesse at third base. The game was all tied up through three innings, 4-4.
- Miesse then made up for the mistake with a run-scoring single on the infield to score Williams, and the 'Cats immediately got the lead right back, 5-4, in the top of the fifth. That momentum was gone, however, in the bottom of the inning when Sam Houston scored three times and took Morgan out of the game. The Bearkats led 7-5 after five.
- Tatrow was at it again in the sixth inning, this time destroying a baseball for his second triple of the game. This three-bagger scored Logan Britt to cut it to 7-6. Tatrow would come in to score on an error at shortstop to tie the game, 7-7, in the middle of the sixth.
- Then the pitchers took over. Max Huffling pitched well for ACU in relief and Logan Hewitt threw well for SHSU to keep the game tied at 7. They gave way to Zach Smith and Chandler David, who each helped push the game to extras with the same score. It was a span of 10 scoreless half-innings heading to the bottom of the 11th.
- The Bearkats loaded the bases with no one out, and Wishkoski delivered his biggest swing of the season to win it for Sam in the home 11th.

Stat Pack
- Four Wildcats tallied two hits apiece: Tatrow, Williams, Miesse, and Parke. Both of Tatrow's went for three bases Wednesday. Parke led ACU with two RBI.
- Morgan went 4.2 innings in the start allowing seven runs, five earned, on 11 hits with two strikeouts.
- Huffling was excellent in relief going 2.1 innings of scoreless baseball without allowing a hit and striking out a pair.
- Smith takes an unfortunate loss (2-3) after throwing 3.0 scoreless innings but allowing the grand slam in what was his fourth inning on the mound. He finished with 3+ innings officially.

Beyond the Box Score
- Tatrow becomes the first Wildcat to hit two triples in the same game since Caleb Kyle did so on March 3, 2018 against Mississippi Valley State.
- The 'Cats are now 3-3 in extra-inning games this season. Wednesday was ACU's first-ever extra-inning postseason game at the Division I level.
- ACU moves to 5-3 all-time at Hohokam Stadium and in the WAC Tournament after finishing 4-2 last season.
- The Wildcats are 0-3 against Sam Houston in conference tournament games; the Bearkats beat the Wildcats twice in the 2021 Southland Conference Tournament in Hammond, La.

On Deck
- ACU takes on the loser of Wednesday night's Grand Canyon-UTRGV game on Thursday, May 25. The game starts at 2 p.m. CT (12 p.m. PT) and will air on ESPN+ and on the radio on the ACU Sports Network.