ACU’s Comeback Bid Falls Short in Series Finale Versus Tarleton State

Saturday, April 11

Stephenville, Texas

12 p.m.

Abilene Christian

18-18, 0

Tarleton State

23-12, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Abilene Christian	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	6	9	9	0
Tarleton State	0	0	5	4	0	0	1	0	X	10	9	1

Nick Arias awaits a pitch in ACU's 4-1 win over TCU at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark on April 7, 2026.

Photo by: Kaylee Kahn

ACU’s Comeback Bid Falls Short in Series Finale Versus Tarleton State

4/11/2026 6:23:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Luke White

STEPHENVILLE, Texas - Abilene Christian baseball's furious ninth-inning rally fell just short in a 10-9 loss to Tarleton State at the Tarleton Baseball Complex on Saturday afternoon. Trailing 10-3, the Wildcats rattled six runs in the final frame of the rubber match.

ACU returns to Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark to host Texas Tech at 6 p.m. Tuesday. It's Pack the Crutch Night, presented by First Financial. The Wildcats then head to Bloomington, Ind. for their final nonconference series of the season versus Indiana.

The Wildcats' late rally began with a Brady Ladusau single and a JT Thompson walk. Brady Gray drove in a run with an RBI single before Reese Borho delivered with a pinch-hit RBI single to make it a 10-5 game.

Zandt Payne walked to load the bases, and Grant Watkins walked to plate a run and move the runners station to station. Nick Arias crushed a three-run double to the right-field foul pole to clear the bases, then advanced to third on a throwing error by the second baseman. He attempted to race home for the tying run, but was thrown out to end the game.

Arias drove in five runs following a two-run homer in the fourth inning, his fifth of the season. Diego Cardenas had a couple of hits, including a fifth-inning RBI double to give him a conference-leading 50 runs batted in this year.

Payne drew two walks and scored two runs to reach base safely for the 30th game in a row. He scored multiple runs for the 13th game this season.

David Jeon and Carson Wallace registered one scoreless inning apiece, with Wallace facing the minimum. Brady Coe allowed one run in three frames with three strikeouts.

After the Wildcats fell behind 5-0, Cardenas got the fourth inning started with a leadoff double. He came home on Arias' two-run shot to left-center field. Cardenas added another run to the board in the fifth with an RBI double that scored Payne.