ACU's season comes to an end in Mesa

MESA, Ariz. – Logan Britt led ACU with three hits and a history-making stolen base, but the Wildcats saw their 2023 season come to an end Friday at the WAC Tournament after falling once again to No. 2 Sam Houston, this time by a final of 17-10. ACU's season ends with a 35-24 record, and the Bearkats single-handedly eliminate their rivals, beating the 'Cats twice in three days in Mesa to put a bow on the 2023 campaign. ACU tallied 13 hits, but made four huge errors defensively and allowed 17 hits to Sam Houston.

How It Happened
- Blake Anderson got the ball in the elimination game and made it through 4.1 innings, allowing five runs in that stretch. Justin Wishnoski, who hit the walk-off grand slam against ACU on Wednesday, hit a two-run shot in the first inning Friday. Sam led 3-0 in the middle of the second.
- ACU got on the board with a Britt double down the left field line, scoring both Holden Rook and Crew Parke. The 'Cats would tie it up and take the lead in the fourth inning when Rook and Britt each drove in runs with singles. ACU led 4-3 after four.
- Sam Houston took the lead in the fifth, knocking Anderson out of the game in the process. The Bearkats scored four runs on four hits in the inning to lead 7-4, sending all nine hitters to the plate.
- Two more scored in the top of the sixth for the Bearkats to lead 9-4, then the Wildcats responded with a bang. Garrett Williams got ACU back in it with a two-run double to right center, then Tanner Tweedt followed with an RBI-single. A wild pitch allowed another run to score, and the four-run inning got ACU back in it, 9-8.
- The Bearkats scored two in the seventh to get momentum back, then put the game away with six in the eighth. Eric Martin would hit a two-run homer in the ninth, but ACU was too far behind to make a comeback. Sam finished it off, 17-10.

Stat Pack
- Britt led ACU with three hits and three RBI, and stole a base as well.
- Williams and Maddox Miesse each tallied two hits, with Williams adding a pair of RBI to his total.
- Grayson Tatrow only had one hit, but reached base four times drawing three walks.
- Martin's homer was his third of the season.
- Anderson took the loss (5-6) in his 4.1 innings, striking out three batters.
- Max Huffling, Zach Smith, Luke Krkovski, Sam Berberich, Adam Byrd, and Drake Boggan all pitched, none going more than 1.1 innings.

Beyond the Box Score
- Britt stole another base Friday, his 34th of the season, setting a new mark for the most in a single season in ACU history, breaking the tiewith Marc Thompson (1999).
- ACU moves to 6-4 all-time at Hohokam Stadium and in the WAC Tournament after finishing 4-2 last season.
- The Wildcats are 0-4 against Sam Houston in conference tournament games, being outscored 57-42 in those four contests.

The Season
- ACU wraps up its third-straight 30-win season under head coach Rick McCarty. The 'Cats honored 12 seniors on Senior Day this year, and will look to re-tool the roster for 2024.