Friday, February 20
Abilene, Texas
3 p.m.
Abilene Christian
vs
Oral Roberts
Photo by: Kaylee Kahn
Wildcat Newcomers On Display as ACU Hosts Oral Roberts
2/19/2026 7:45:00 PM | Baseball
With a veteran roster returning eight position players that appeared in at least 45 games for Abilene Christian baseball's 2025 conference championship squad, it was never going to be easy to carve out a starting role in the Wildcats' lineup in 2026.
Yet that hasn't stopped several newcomers from taking on the challenge and rising to the occasion in the early going of the new season. ACU is off to a 3-2 start ahead of a three-game series versus Oral Roberts at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark this weekend.
The Wildcats begin Campers Weekend at 3 p.m. Friday ahead of a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday. The series will wrap up at 1 p.m. Sunday. Friday's opener will be broadcast on ESPN+, while Sunday's finale will be streamed on WAC International.
ACU retained 74.9% of last season's hit production and 74.4% of its runs scored that powered it to a share of the Western Athletic Conference regular season crown. Two anchors of the starting rotation with 15 starts apiece, Brett Lanman and Cade McGarrh, are running it back in pursuit of another title.
The Wildcats' student-athlete retention offered plenty of convincing for the conference's coaches to vote ACU atop the 2026 WAC Preseason Coaches Poll with a trio of Preseason All-WAC selections in Diego Cardenas, Grant Watkins and Braden Regala.
The availability of other reliable returners makes it a tall order to break into the Wildcats' lineup. ACU's season-opening series victory over St. Thomas, though, offered multiple rookies an opportunity that they ran with. All told, 13 student-athletes in their first season with the team gained playing time in the Wildcats' first five games.
Freshman Brady Ladusau finds himself near the top of the pack, ranking second on the team with a .444 batting average over four games and three starts. Three of his four hits have been for extra bases as he ranks in the WAC's top five for slugging percentage and OPS.
Ladusau doesn't lack familiarity with the ACU program as the younger brother of Wildcat standout Miller Ladusau, who amassed over 260 hits with a .317 average in 225 games from 2020-24. Ladusau was quick to make an impact in ACU's series finale against St. Thomas, going 3 for 3 at the plate and scoring three runs. He plated a pair of runners with a double before reaching base and later scoring via a triple.
"He was great," head coach Rick McCarty said. "He got to watch the first night and when he got his opportunity, that's what we talk about, 'work while you wait, work while you wait.' Then, when it's your opportunity, you get in there and try to make the most of it."
While in his first season as a Wildcat, JT Thompson is hardly a stranger to the Big Country, as the Rutgers transfer is an Abilene native that returned home for his senior campaign. Thompson has appeared in each game, scoring in four of them, with three starts. He came alive for three hits and two RBIs in ACU's narrow loss to the Tommies on Feb. 14.
In addition to his potential at the plate, Thompson represents a versatile defensive addition for the Wildcats with the ability to play in the middle infield or outfield.
"[Ladusau] and JT and Maddox [Miesse], all three would be guys that didn't start Opening Night that provided a huge impact for us over the course of the weekend," McCarty said. " … I thought those three guys, it was great to see them out there, kind of get comfortable and now you hope they settle in as they go on."
McCarty and his coaching staff also earned looks at their newcomers on the mound. Xavier transfer Evan Whiteaker supplied one of the pitching staff's top outings of the weekend, earning the win in the season opener versus St. Thomas with four scoreless innings. He allowed just one hit and a walk with a pair of strikeouts.
"He's fit right in since Day 1," McCarty said. "He's been great. He works extremely hard. It's been neat to see his progression, his confidence. So many things have just been boosted, I think, over the last 180 days. … We're excited for him. I think everyone in our locker room is pulling for that dude just because of the person he is."
Pittsburgh transfer Aidan Coleman followed with a strong outing of his own, surrendering just one earned run, four hits and five strikeouts in the Wildcats' 6-5 victory versus the Tommies on Feb. 14. He showcased his efficiency, needing just 78 pitches.
"When you talk about challenging hitters in the strike zone, [Whiteaker and Coleman] have done a really good job since they've been on campus," McCarty said. "We value that a ton. … They're different people, but, man, they both like to work. They're both super humble. They're both great teammates. They're both talented. They've got some arm talent. They've got an ability to spin the ball and manipulate the ball."
With a healthy amount of veteran leadership and experience aiding ACU on its hunt for another conference title, McCarty and the Wildcats recognize the strength and value of the team's newcomers in their chase toward their ultimate goal.
"Everybody's going to have an opportunity this year," McCarty said. "If we win a championship, someone else is going to pick up where [someone] didn't. That's just what happens on championship teams."
Yet that hasn't stopped several newcomers from taking on the challenge and rising to the occasion in the early going of the new season. ACU is off to a 3-2 start ahead of a three-game series versus Oral Roberts at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark this weekend.
The Wildcats begin Campers Weekend at 3 p.m. Friday ahead of a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday. The series will wrap up at 1 p.m. Sunday. Friday's opener will be broadcast on ESPN+, while Sunday's finale will be streamed on WAC International.
ACU retained 74.9% of last season's hit production and 74.4% of its runs scored that powered it to a share of the Western Athletic Conference regular season crown. Two anchors of the starting rotation with 15 starts apiece, Brett Lanman and Cade McGarrh, are running it back in pursuit of another title.
The Wildcats' student-athlete retention offered plenty of convincing for the conference's coaches to vote ACU atop the 2026 WAC Preseason Coaches Poll with a trio of Preseason All-WAC selections in Diego Cardenas, Grant Watkins and Braden Regala.
The availability of other reliable returners makes it a tall order to break into the Wildcats' lineup. ACU's season-opening series victory over St. Thomas, though, offered multiple rookies an opportunity that they ran with. All told, 13 student-athletes in their first season with the team gained playing time in the Wildcats' first five games.
Freshman Brady Ladusau finds himself near the top of the pack, ranking second on the team with a .444 batting average over four games and three starts. Three of his four hits have been for extra bases as he ranks in the WAC's top five for slugging percentage and OPS.
Ladusau doesn't lack familiarity with the ACU program as the younger brother of Wildcat standout Miller Ladusau, who amassed over 260 hits with a .317 average in 225 games from 2020-24. Ladusau was quick to make an impact in ACU's series finale against St. Thomas, going 3 for 3 at the plate and scoring three runs. He plated a pair of runners with a double before reaching base and later scoring via a triple.
"He was great," head coach Rick McCarty said. "He got to watch the first night and when he got his opportunity, that's what we talk about, 'work while you wait, work while you wait.' Then, when it's your opportunity, you get in there and try to make the most of it."
While in his first season as a Wildcat, JT Thompson is hardly a stranger to the Big Country, as the Rutgers transfer is an Abilene native that returned home for his senior campaign. Thompson has appeared in each game, scoring in four of them, with three starts. He came alive for three hits and two RBIs in ACU's narrow loss to the Tommies on Feb. 14.
In addition to his potential at the plate, Thompson represents a versatile defensive addition for the Wildcats with the ability to play in the middle infield or outfield.
"[Ladusau] and JT and Maddox [Miesse], all three would be guys that didn't start Opening Night that provided a huge impact for us over the course of the weekend," McCarty said. " … I thought those three guys, it was great to see them out there, kind of get comfortable and now you hope they settle in as they go on."
McCarty and his coaching staff also earned looks at their newcomers on the mound. Xavier transfer Evan Whiteaker supplied one of the pitching staff's top outings of the weekend, earning the win in the season opener versus St. Thomas with four scoreless innings. He allowed just one hit and a walk with a pair of strikeouts.
"He's fit right in since Day 1," McCarty said. "He's been great. He works extremely hard. It's been neat to see his progression, his confidence. So many things have just been boosted, I think, over the last 180 days. … We're excited for him. I think everyone in our locker room is pulling for that dude just because of the person he is."
Pittsburgh transfer Aidan Coleman followed with a strong outing of his own, surrendering just one earned run, four hits and five strikeouts in the Wildcats' 6-5 victory versus the Tommies on Feb. 14. He showcased his efficiency, needing just 78 pitches.
"When you talk about challenging hitters in the strike zone, [Whiteaker and Coleman] have done a really good job since they've been on campus," McCarty said. "We value that a ton. … They're different people, but, man, they both like to work. They're both super humble. They're both great teammates. They're both talented. They've got some arm talent. They've got an ability to spin the ball and manipulate the ball."
With a healthy amount of veteran leadership and experience aiding ACU on its hunt for another conference title, McCarty and the Wildcats recognize the strength and value of the team's newcomers in their chase toward their ultimate goal.
"Everybody's going to have an opportunity this year," McCarty said. "If we win a championship, someone else is going to pick up where [someone] didn't. That's just what happens on championship teams."
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