ABILENE, Texas – In a nail-biting contest at the grand opening of Bullock Brothers Ballpark, the Wildcats (19-14, 4-7 WAC) pulled off a narrow 8-7 victory against Utah Tech (15-19, 1-7 WAC). The game was a rollercoaster of emotions, featuring lead changes and dramatic late-inning heroics.
Utah Tech started strong, scoring a run in the first inning. However, ACU answered in the bottom of the second, tying the game 1-1. Utah Tech regained the lead with a two-run homer in the third, making it 3-1.
The back-and-forth affair continued as the Wildcats added a run in the bottom of the third. The Trailblazers extended their lead in the fourth, scoring four runs to make it 7-2. Abilene Christian chipped away at the lead, scoring two runs in the sixth.
The Wildcats mounted a comeback in the bottom of the eighth, scoring three runs to tie the game. In a dramatic finish, Abilene Christian's Benjamin Greer hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to secure the 8-7 victory.
Utah Tech's offense was highlighted by home runs by Jack Nielsen, who hit his first home run of his career, and Greer. Zandt Payne also had a strong offensive showing with three hits and two doubles.
The game was marked by solid hitting from both sides, with Abilene Christian recording 14 hits and Utah Tech tallying 11.
Chandler Benson earned the win for the Wildcats, while Aaron Morris took the loss.
The Wildcats head for a potential sweep on the weekend, winning their first conference series. The first pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 12:05 p.m.
