Wednesday, March 4
Abilene, Texas
6 p.m.
Abilene Christian
7-6
20
vs
10
Stephen F. Austin
9-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Stephen F. Austin
0
2
2
2
4
0
0
0
10
11
0
Abilene Christian
0
0
0
1
7
8
3
1
20
17
1
Photo by: Kaylee Kahn
Cardenas Plates Nine Runs, ACU Scores 19 Unanswered in Nine-Run Comeback
3/5/2026 1:05:00 AM | Baseball
ABILENE - Abilene Christian baseball delivered a comeback for the ages as it rallied from a nine-run deficit to take down Stephen F. Austin 20-10 in eight innings on Wednesday at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark. The Wildcats' 19 unanswered runs are believed to be the most in a college baseball game this season.
ACU trailed 10-1 entering the bottom of the fifth inning before erupting to score the game's final 19 runs over the last four innings and initiate the run rule. It surpassed Johns Hopkins, who ignited for 18 unanswered runs in an 18-6 win versus Hamilton College on Feb. 28.
Diego Cardenas powered the Wildcats with nine runs batted in, tying the program record that he previously matched with a nine-RBI outburst on May 18, 2025. He shares the record with Tanner Tweedt, who accomplished the feat on April 14, 2023.
Cardenas crushed a no-doubt grand slam in the fifth inning to get ACU within striking distance at 10-8. In the next inning, he followed with a three-run homer to strengthen the Wildcats' lead to 14-10. Cardenas completed his historic night with a two-run double in the seventh, then came around to score on a wild pitch.
Zandt Payne's lone hit of the night was a big one, belting a three-run blast in the sixth inning that provided the go-ahead spark for ACU. Grant Watkins sealed the victory as he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth.
Each member of the Wildcats' lineup collected a hit and scored, led by Cardenas, Watkins and JT Thompson with three hits apiece. Watkins reached base in each of his six plate appearances and came around to score four times. He doubled twice. Payne scored three times with a trio of walks, including an intentional base on balls.
Nick Arias drove in a pair of runs and got the Wildcats' scoring started with an RBI single in the fourth. He went 1 for 2 and was walked three times, one of which came with the bases loaded. Thompson and Braden Regala also doubled.
Redshirt sophomore OJ Gonzalez got the credit for his first career victory. He tamed the hot Lumberjack bats, allowing just one run and five hits in three innings. David Jeon, also making his second appearance of the season, picked up the final two outs, including a strikeout.
Stephen F. Austin began a steady offensive barrage with a pair of runs in the second, third and fourth innings. ACU cut into the lead at 6-1, but a four-spot in the fifth boosted the Lumberjacks to a 10-1 advantage, doing so with a pair of home runs.
The Wildcats responded with 15 runs across the bottom of the fifth and sixth frames. Regala doubled to plate a run in the fifth before Watkins and Arias each stayed patient for bases-loaded walks. With the bases still juiced, Cardenas sent a 1-1 offering out of the park to make it a 10-8 ballgame.
ACU didn't take its foot off the gas in the sixth inning, picking up right where it left off. The Wildcats banged out eight runs behind seven hits. Payne took hold of a pitch and put ACU in the driver's seat with a three-run homer before Cardenas followed with a three-run bomb of his own, his second long ball of the night.
Reese Borho registered an RBI single, and Thompson doubled to bring him home. When the dust settled, the Wildcats boasted a 16-10 lead.
ACU added three more runs in the seventh as Cardenas delivered a pitch off the center-field wall for a two-run double. He put the Wildcats up 19-10 after scoring on a wild pitch.
Payne was intentionally walked to load the bases in the eighth, and Watkins was hit by the first pitch he saw to seal ACU's historic comeback win.
ACU trailed 10-1 entering the bottom of the fifth inning before erupting to score the game's final 19 runs over the last four innings and initiate the run rule. It surpassed Johns Hopkins, who ignited for 18 unanswered runs in an 18-6 win versus Hamilton College on Feb. 28.
Diego Cardenas powered the Wildcats with nine runs batted in, tying the program record that he previously matched with a nine-RBI outburst on May 18, 2025. He shares the record with Tanner Tweedt, who accomplished the feat on April 14, 2023.
Cardenas crushed a no-doubt grand slam in the fifth inning to get ACU within striking distance at 10-8. In the next inning, he followed with a three-run homer to strengthen the Wildcats' lead to 14-10. Cardenas completed his historic night with a two-run double in the seventh, then came around to score on a wild pitch.
Zandt Payne's lone hit of the night was a big one, belting a three-run blast in the sixth inning that provided the go-ahead spark for ACU. Grant Watkins sealed the victory as he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth.
Each member of the Wildcats' lineup collected a hit and scored, led by Cardenas, Watkins and JT Thompson with three hits apiece. Watkins reached base in each of his six plate appearances and came around to score four times. He doubled twice. Payne scored three times with a trio of walks, including an intentional base on balls.
Nick Arias drove in a pair of runs and got the Wildcats' scoring started with an RBI single in the fourth. He went 1 for 2 and was walked three times, one of which came with the bases loaded. Thompson and Braden Regala also doubled.
Redshirt sophomore OJ Gonzalez got the credit for his first career victory. He tamed the hot Lumberjack bats, allowing just one run and five hits in three innings. David Jeon, also making his second appearance of the season, picked up the final two outs, including a strikeout.
Stephen F. Austin began a steady offensive barrage with a pair of runs in the second, third and fourth innings. ACU cut into the lead at 6-1, but a four-spot in the fifth boosted the Lumberjacks to a 10-1 advantage, doing so with a pair of home runs.
The Wildcats responded with 15 runs across the bottom of the fifth and sixth frames. Regala doubled to plate a run in the fifth before Watkins and Arias each stayed patient for bases-loaded walks. With the bases still juiced, Cardenas sent a 1-1 offering out of the park to make it a 10-8 ballgame.
ACU didn't take its foot off the gas in the sixth inning, picking up right where it left off. The Wildcats banged out eight runs behind seven hits. Payne took hold of a pitch and put ACU in the driver's seat with a three-run homer before Cardenas followed with a three-run bomb of his own, his second long ball of the night.
Reese Borho registered an RBI single, and Thompson doubled to bring him home. When the dust settled, the Wildcats boasted a 16-10 lead.
ACU added three more runs in the seventh as Cardenas delivered a pitch off the center-field wall for a two-run double. He put the Wildcats up 19-10 after scoring on a wild pitch.
Payne was intentionally walked to load the bases in the eighth, and Watkins was hit by the first pitch he saw to seal ACU's historic comeback win.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gonzalez, OJ (1-1)
L: Greer, Brennan (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Swift, Julian 1 ; Adkisson, Ethan 1 ; Pena, Ethan 1 ; Henning, Mark 1
HR: Swift, Julian 1 ; Creel, Jhett 1
RBI: Schneider, Cooper 1 ; Swift, Julian 2 ; Adkisson, Ethan 3 ; Creel, Jhett 2 ; Pena, Ethan 2
SF: Pena, Ethan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bland, Cermodrick 1 ; Schneider, Cooper 1 ; Ibe, Josh 1 ; Swift, Julian 2 ; Creel, Jhett 1 ; Pena, Ethan 1 ; Henning, Mark 3
HBP: Bland, Cermodrick 1
Batting:
2B: Cardenas, Diego 1 ; Watkins, Grant 2 ; Regala, Braden 1 ; Thompson, JT 1
HR: Cardenas, Diego 2 ; Payne, Zandt 1
RBI: Cardenas, Diego 9 ; Arias, Nick 2 ; Watkins, Grant 2 ; Regala, Braden 1 ; Borho, Reese 1 ; Thompson, JT 1 ; Payne, Zandt 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Cardenas, Diego 3 ; Arias, Nick 2 ; Gray, Brady 1 ; Watkins, Grant 4 ; Regala, Braden 2 ; Borho, Reese 2 ; Thompson, JT 2 ; Jones, Ryan 1 ; Payne, Zandt 3
HBP: Watkins, Grant 2
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
3
H
3
RBI
9
AB
3
R
4
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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RHP
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RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballOF
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