Wildcat Pitching Silences Owls’ Bats in 4-1 Victory

Sunday, March 8

Abilene, Texas

1 p.m.

Abilene Christian

8-8

Rice

9-7

Rice

Abilene Christian

Photo by: Kaylee Kahn

Wildcat Pitching Silences Owls’ Bats in 4-1 Victory

3/8/2026 4:59:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Luke White

ABILENE - Abilene Christian baseball's Cade McGarrh and Carson Wallace shut down Rice's bats as the Wildcats picked up a 4-1 win over the Owls at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark on Sunday afternoon. McGarrh allowed just one run in six innings, while Wallace earned the save with three scoreless frames.

Next, ACU hits the road for a midweek matchup at Incarnate Word in San Antonio at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

McGarrh earned credit for his second win of the season, surrendering just three hits in six innings with seven strikeouts. He got out of a jam in the third with runners and third and second with one out, punching out the next two batters to get out unscathed.

Wallace matched his season high with five strikeouts while giving up just two hits. The freshman also faced two runners in scoring position in the eighth, but induced a flyout to get out of trouble. Wallace closed out the game with two strikeouts for his first career save.

Diego Cardenas hit his seventh home run of the season to tie for eighth-most in the nation. After Grant Watkins, also with seven long balls, opened the bottom of the fourth with a ground-rule double, Cardenas sent a two-run blast to left-center field to open the scoring. It gave ACU a lead it wouldn't lose for the rest of the game as he notched his sixth game of the year with multiple runs batted in.

Zandt Payne and Watkins each went 2 for 3 at the plate, marking their eighth and sixth multi-hit games of the season, respectively. Ryan Jones and Cardenas each extended their hitting streaks to five games, while Jones reached base safely for the 11th straight game. Payne has gotten on base in 10 games in a row and stole his third base of the season in as many attempts.

After Rice cut its deficit in half in the fifth inning with three consecutive singles, ACU bolstered its lead in the seventh after two walks and a single loaded the bases with one out. Jones drew a walk to bring a run home before a wild pitch plated another.