Thursday, April 2
Abilene, Texas
6 p.m.
Abilene Christian
vs
California Baptist
Photo by: Kaylee Kahn
Wildcats Return to Abilene, Host Lancers to Begin WAC Action
4/1/2026 7:35:00 PM | Baseball
ABILENE - Abilene Christian baseball returns to the Big Country for the first time in two weeks to kick off Western Athletic Conference play versus California Baptist this weekend. The Wildcats were last at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark on March 18 and are back to face the WAC frontrunners.
ACU opens the series at 6 p.m. Thursday ahead of a 6 p.m. first pitch on Friday. The teams wrap up at 12 p.m. Saturday, with a postgame Easter egg hunt to follow. Game times are subject to change due to potential inclement weather.
The Wildcats have won their last three weekend series, including a pair on the road at New Mexico and at McNeese. The WAC preseason favorites will meet a Lancers squad tabbed to finish third in the conference's preseason coaches' poll.
Last season, ACU won the final two games of its series with CBU on the last day of the regular season in Riverside, Calif. to clinch a share of the WAC title. The Lancers hold a slight 5-6 edge in the all-time series between the two that began in 2023.
The Wildcats dropped a midweek matchup with Texas Tech in Lubbock on Tuesday that saw JT Thompson hit his first home run of the season. He extended his hitting streak to 12 games alongside Diego Cardenas. Zandt Payne has reached base safely in 23 consecutive contests, while Nick Arias has done so in 10 straight games.
Projected Rotation
Game 1 - Thursday
ACU opens the series at 6 p.m. Thursday ahead of a 6 p.m. first pitch on Friday. The teams wrap up at 12 p.m. Saturday, with a postgame Easter egg hunt to follow. Game times are subject to change due to potential inclement weather.
The Wildcats have won their last three weekend series, including a pair on the road at New Mexico and at McNeese. The WAC preseason favorites will meet a Lancers squad tabbed to finish third in the conference's preseason coaches' poll.
Last season, ACU won the final two games of its series with CBU on the last day of the regular season in Riverside, Calif. to clinch a share of the WAC title. The Lancers hold a slight 5-6 edge in the all-time series between the two that began in 2023.
The Wildcats dropped a midweek matchup with Texas Tech in Lubbock on Tuesday that saw JT Thompson hit his first home run of the season. He extended his hitting streak to 12 games alongside Diego Cardenas. Zandt Payne has reached base safely in 23 consecutive contests, while Nick Arias has done so in 10 straight games.
Projected Rotation
Game 1 - Thursday
- CBU: RHP Michael Malki (5-0, 2.59 ERA, 31.1 IP, 50 K, 1.21 WHIP, .171 B/AVG)
- ACU: LHP Brett Lanman (1-3, 3.68 ERA, 36.2 IP, 44 K, 1.17 WHIP, .219 B/AVG)
- CBU: LHP Niko Urquidi (2-0, 2.88 ERA, 25.0 IP, 21 K, 1.00 WHIP, .225 B/AVG)
- ACU: RHP Aidan Coleman (3-0, 5.51 ERA, 32.2 IP, 27 K, 1.47 WHIP, .291 B/AVG)
- CBU: RHP Bryan Peck (4-0, 2.35 ERA, 38.1 IP, 38 K, 1.12 WHIP, .229 B/AVG)
- ACU: RHP Cade McGarrh (2-2, 6.58 ERA, 26.0 IP, 27 K, 1.38 WHIP, .217 B/AVG)
- SS Zandt Payne: .333 AVG, 8 HR, 29 RBI, .579 SLG, .469 OBP, 38 H
- 1B Grant Watkins: .257 AVG, 15 HR, 33 RBI, .708 SLG, .363 OBP, 32 R
- DH Diego Cardenas: .333 AVG, 14 HR, 42 RBI, .786 SLG, .422 OBP, 39 H
- OF Ryan Jones: .272 AVG, 2 HR, 13 RBI, .457 SLG, .449 OBP, 12 HBP
- LHP Baron Mannis: 0-1, 3.70 ERA, 24.1 IP, 32 K, 1.23 WHIP, .195 B/AVG
- RHP Evan Whiteaker: 2-3, 6.00 ERA, 24.0 IP, 26 K, 1.50 WHIP, .278 B/AVG
Players Mentioned
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