Arias Notches Four Hits as ACU Drops Series Finale to McNeese

Sunday, March 29

Lake Charles, La.

12 p.m.

Abilene Christian

15-13

McNeese

14-14

Abilene Christian

McNeese

Nick Arias prepares to swing in ACU's series versus St. Thomas at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark on Feb. 13-15, 2026.

Photo by: Kaylee Kahn

Arias Notches Four Hits as ACU Drops Series Finale to McNeese

3/29/2026 10:54:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Luke White

LAKE CHARLES, La. - Abilene Christian baseball was sunk by McNeese's late rally in an 11-10 loss to the Cowboys at Joe Miller Ballpark on Sunday afternoon. Nick Arias matched his career high with four hits and drove in four runs to spur the Wildcats' offense. ACU picked up its fifth series victory of the season.

ACU completed its final nonconference series before beginning Western Athletic Conference play versus California Baptist next weekend. The Wildcats face their last tuneup before WAC action begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday versus Texas Tech in Lubbock.

ACU seized a 7-2 lead through seven innings before McNeese evened the score with a five-run eighth inning. The Wildcats retook the lead at 10-7 in the top of the ninth, but the Cowboys rattled off four runs in the home half of the inning, capped by a walk-off single.

Arias delivered one of his top games of the season with a 4-for-5 showing at the plate. Three of his hits were for extra bases, including two doubles and a two-run homer that gave ACU its biggest lead in the seventh inning. It's Arias' most hits since tallying four in his Wildcat debut on last season's opening day. He recorded his second home run of the year and his first since ACU's opening series versus St. Thomas.

Freshman Brady Ladusau picked up his first collegiate home run with a go-ahead solo shot in the top of the ninth. It was his second hit of the game after notching an RBI single in the fifth inning. Diego Cardenas belted his 14th long ball of the season with a solo homer in the second.

Cardenas, JT Thompson and Zandt Payne each picked up a hit, plated a run and scored. Cardenas and Thompson each scored twice and drew a walk. They extended their hitting streaks to 11 games apiece. Payne has reached base safely in 22 consecutive games, while Gavin Brzozowski upped his streak to 10 games.

Cade McGarrh pitched a career-high 7.1 innings, allowing three runs on just three hits and a trio of strikeouts.

The Wildcats wasted little time going to work in the opening frame as Payne singled and Cardenas walked before an error loaded the bases. Brzozowski drew a walk to plate Payne before Thompson was hit by a pitch to bring home Cardenas.

With two outs in the second, Cardenas sent a two-strike offering over the fence in right field to make it a 3-1 game. ACU strengthened its lead in the fifth, moving in front 5-2 behind RBI singles by Ladusau and Arias. The Wildcats added a pair of runs in the seventh with two outs as Thompson singled ahead of Arias' big fly, making it a 7-2 ballgame.

After the Cowboys knotted the score at 7 in the bottom of the eighth, ACU went to work in the ninth. Ladusau homered to left field on a 2-2 count to spark the run before Thompson reached on an error. He raced home on Arias' RBI double, then another error allowed Arias to score and push ACU ahead, 10-7.

McNeese scored four runs on three hits in the bottom of the ninth to walk it off.