Hardcastle’s Walk-Off Single Caps Wildcats’ Comeback Win Over Golden Eagles

Sunday, February 22

Abilene, Texas

1 p.m.

Abilene Christian

5-3

Oral Roberts

3-4

Oral Roberts

Abilene Christian

Photo by: Kaylee Kahn

Hardcastle’s Walk-Off Single Caps Wildcats’ Comeback Win Over Golden Eagles

2/22/2026 6:48:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Luke White

ABILENE - Sam Hardcastle's walk-off single powered Abilene Christian baseball to an 8-7 win over Oral Roberts at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark on Sunday afternoon. The Wildcats picked up the series victory after trailing by four runs entering the seventh inning.

ACU returns to action next weekend at the College Baseball Series at La Moderna Field in Cleburne, Texas. The Wildcats will meet Texas State on Friday and Sunday while taking on Creighton in the Saturday matchup.

Diego Cardenas paved the way for ACU's comeback with a pair of home runs, the second a three-run blast in the bottom of the seventh that knotted the game at 7. It capped a four-run frame for the Wildcats after Maddox Miesse snuck an RBI ground-rule double just inside fair territory. ACU entered the inning trailing 7-3.

Logan Young and Blaine Palmer kept the Golden Eagles off the board in the final two innings before ACU's bats went to work. Cardenas singled to pick up his third hit of the day, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Hardcastle sent a 1-2 offering with two outs to center field, allowing pinch runner Kanon Sundgren to race around and score.

After scoring one run through five innings, Grant Watkins kickstarted ACU's offense in the sixth with his third long ball of the season, a two-out, two-run shot to bring home Cardenas. Cardenas put the Wildcats on the board in the bottom of the first with a solo home run following a five-run Oral Roberts rally in the opening frame. He grabbed the team lead with four home runs this year.

Cardenas plated four runs with a 3-for-4 day at the plate featuring three runs scored and a walk. Watkins went 2 for 4 with a pair of runs batted in, while Miesse collected a pair of hits. He's batting .474 through eight games, while Cardenas boasts a .345 average.

ACU's five-man bullpen allowed just two runs in 7.2 innings in relief. Palmer was credited with the victory after pitching a scoreless top of the ninth with a strikeout. Freshman Baron Mannis delivered three scoreless frames with four punchouts, giving him nine strikeouts and a 1.29 ERA over seven innings and three appearances.

Caden Greanead kept the Golden Eagles' bats at bay after entering in the top of the second, keeping them off the board in 1.2 innings.