AUSTIN — The ACU Wildcats are back on the field this weekend, and the job doesn't get any easier for them as they will take on the nation's top-ranked team Friday when they play the Texas Longhorns as part of the Longhorn Invitational at Red & Charline McCombs Field.
ACU hasn't shied away from top competition this season as it has played then-No. 19 Baylor, then-No. 7 Texas A&M, and on Monday played No. 2 Oklahoma. On Friday, the Wildcats will play New Mexico State at 1:30 p.m., followed by a 6:30 p.m. tilt against the 15-1 Longhorns, the 2024 national runner-up to OU and currently the nation's No. 1-ranked team.
The Wildcats started the season 0-9 but are 3-3 in their last six games, with wins over East Texas A&M, Bowling Green, and Tulsa. ACU is led offensively by Elizabeth Schaefer (.306 with three RBI) and Rachel Cook (.300, one home run, and a team-high eight RBI). Lina Russo leads the pitching staff with a 4.83 ERA, a 1-6 record, and 26 strikeouts.
Here's a glance at the Wildcats' four opponents in the Longhorn Invitational:
• New Mexico State (9-8) – The Aggies have one of the nation's top power-hitters in their lineup in sophomore Desirae Sherman, who is hitting a robust .535 (23 for 40) to go along with nine home runs, 20 runs scored, and 25 RBI). Kristiana Wilson is hitting .364 with three home runs and 20 RBI. The Aggies are hitting .346 as a team, with 24 home runs and 109 runs scored. Spearman leads the team in the circle with a 4-2 record to go along with a 3.54 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings of work.
• #1 Texas (15-1) – The Longhorns won their first 11 games before a 9-5 loss to No. 18 Stanford at the Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson, Arizona, on Feb. 21. Texas has won four straight since the loss, and feature one of the top offenses in the country. The Longhorns have outscored opponents 139-37 in 16 games. Sophomore outfielder Kayden Henry is hitting .490 with two home runs and 13 RBI, while sophomore Katie Stewart (.412, five home runs and 28 RBI) and junior Reese Atwood (.367, five home runs, and 23 RBI) are the team's top power threats. Citlaly Gutierrez, a junior righthanded pitcher from Stamford, is 4-0 with a 0.61 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 22 1/3 innings in the circle. Cambria Salmon is 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA, and Teagan Kavan is 4-1 with a 2.72 ERA.
• South Florida (13-4) – The Bulls are hitting .332 as a team and are led offensively by sophomore Alex Wilkes, who is hitting .440 with two home runs and 15 RBI. Grad transfer catcher Josie Forman is hitting .432 with three home runs and 17 RBI. Payton Dixon leads the pitching staff with a 6-1 record and 2.10 ERA and has struck out 40 batters in 52 1/3 innings of work.
• Incarnate Word (7-7) – The Cardinals are led offensively by Jasmine Sierra (.406, three home runs and eight RBI) and Victoria Altamirano (.381, five home runs and 12 RBI). Larissa Jacquez is 1-1 with a 2.31 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings. UIW has a team ERA of 3.373 and 85 strikeouts in 92 innings.
