ACU Falls to Incarnate Word in Extra Innings

Wednesday, March 18

Abilene, Texas

4 p.m.

Abilene Christian

10-11

Incarnate Word

12-9

Incarnate Word

Abilene Christian

Brady Ladusau awaits a pitch in ACU's matchup with Oral Roberts at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark on Feb. 20, 2026.

Photo by: Kaylee Kahn

3/18/2026 11:25:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Luke White

ABILENE - Abilene Christian baseball couldn't manufacture a late comeback as it dropped a 9-8 ballgame to Incarnate Word in 11 innings at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark on Wednesday.

ACU looks to bounce back this weekend in its first true road series of the season versus New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M. The Wildcats and the Lobos get started at 7 p.m. (CT) Friday before matchups at 3 p.m. (CT) Saturday and 1 p.m. (CT) Sunday.

Freshman Brady Ladusau collected three of ACU's 12 hits to match his season high. Nick Arias and Gavin Brzozowski registered two hits apiece, with Arias driving in a trio of runs. Grant Watkins blasted his 10th home run of the season in the third inning to tie Diego Cardenas for the lead in the Western Athletic Conference.

Ryan Jones scored twice. With a 10th-inning single, Zandt Payne reached base safely for the 15th consecutive game.

Brady Coe shined in the second start of his career and first of the season, surrendering just one hit with three strikeouts in three innings of work. Evan Whiteaker, the Wildcats' leader in relief innings pitched, escaped a pair of bases-loaded jams with no runs allowed in the eighth and 10th frames.

ACU struck first in the second inning after Jones led off with a double and came home on Arias' RBI single. Kanon Sundgren was hit by a pitch to begin the bottom of the third, setting up Watkins' two-run blast to center field. The Wildcats added another run in the third when Cardenas doubled and scored on Ladusau's infield single.

The Cardinals scored a run in the fourth before grabbing a 5-4 lead behind a four-run fifth inning. The Wildcats answered with a four-spot of their own in the bottom of the frame. A hit batter and two singles loaded the bases for Arias' two-run single to move back in front. Brzozowski followed with an RBI double down the right-field line. Sundgren brought home the final run with an RBI groundout.

Incarnate Word belted a three-run homer in the top of the eighth to knot the score at 8. Both bullpens kept each team in check to send the game to extras before a sacrifice fly was the difference-maker for the Cardinals in the 11th.