Sunday, May 10
Abilene, Texas
11 a.m.
Abilene Christian
25-26, 8-7
16
vs
6
Utah Valley
16-34, 2-13
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Valley | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| Abilene Christian | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 12 | 3 |
Photo by: Kaylee Kahn
Ladusau Shines as ACU Run-Rules Utah Valley to Close Out Home Slate
5/10/2026 5:01:00 PM | Baseball
ABILENE - Brady Ladusau and JT Thompson drove in 10 runs as Abilene Christian baseball's bats came to life in a 16-6 victory over Utah Valley in eight innings on Sunday afternoon. The Wildcats closed out their home slate at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark by scoring in all but one inning for a run-rule victory.
ACU wraps up the regular season on the road next weekend versus Utah Tech. The teams open the series in St. George, Utah at 7 p.m. (CT) Thursday ahead of a 7 p.m. (CT) first pitch Friday. The series finale is set for 1 p.m. (CT) Saturday.
The Wildcats clinched their third consecutive Western Athletic Conference series victory behind a career-high six runs batted in by the freshman Ladusau. He matched his career best with four hits in a 4-for-6 performance. Ladusau ended the game with a two-run single to reach the run rule. It's his 10th multi-hit game of the season. Five of Ladusau's RBIs came with two outs.
Thompson knocked in four runs, matching his career high and doing so for the second time this series. He reached base safely for the 21st game in a row with his 15th multi-hit effort.
Diego Cardenas notched his seventh-multi homer game of the season with a pair of solo shots. He climbed to the top of the WAC leaderboard with 22 home runs, good for 41 since 2025. Cardenas' second long ball of the day in the fifth inning put ACU ahead for good. He went 3 for 3, walked three times and scored a career-high five runs.
Cardenas made it aboard in his 18th consecutive game. It's his 17th multi-hit effort and team-high 13th game with multiple RBIs. Cardenas has scored multiple runs on 11 occasions.
Carson Wallace delivered another strong performance by an ACU freshman. He kept Utah Valley scoreless for the final 3.1 innings, allowing no hits and facing just one over the minimum. He struck out three batters.
The Wildcats drew a season-high 15 walks, including a career-high four by Grant Watkins, three of which were intentional. He went 1 for 2 to extend his hitting streak to 11th games.
Maddox Miesse and Nick Arias each walked twice, with one of Miesse's coming with the bases loaded. He went 1 for 3 and added an RBI double in the seventh inning. Miesse played his final game at The Crutch after spending all four years of his career at ACU.
Miesse and Zandt Payne each scored three times, while Arias came home twice. Reese Borho came through with his first home run of the season, a solo shot in the eighth inning. It's the eighth of his career. Payne, Ladusau and Thompson each stole a base.
Arias joined Thompson in reaching base safely in his 21st consecutive game and picked up his 11th multi-run performance. Payne tallied his team-leading 19th multi-run game.
After the Wolverines struck first with a pair of runs in the opening frame, the Wildcats answered with three in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded, Thompson singled up the middle to bring home a run. Two batters later, Ladusau singled through the left side of the infield to put ACU in front, 3-2.
Utah Valley tied the game with a run in the second inning, but a Wolverine throwing error in the bottom of the third allowed Watkins to score and reclaim ACU's lead at 4-3.
The back-and-forth affair continued in the fourth and fifth frames. Utah Valley's solo homer knotted the score at 4 before Cardenas sent the first pitch of the bottom of the fourth into ACU's bullpen for a solo shot of his own. Ladusau followed with an RBI single to make it a 6-4 ballgame.
The Wolverines added two more runs in the fifth, tying it at 6 before Wallace closed the top of the frame. Cardenas gave the Wildcats a lead they wouldn't lose with another big fly to right field in the home half of the inning. Ladusau padded ACU's lead to 8-6 with an RBI groundout in the sixth.
Back-to-back doubles around a pitching change brought home three runs for the Wildcats in the seventh. Miesse laced an RBI ground-rule double to right-center field before Thompson swatted a two-bagger to center field that scored two more runs.
The Wildcats broke out for five runs in the eighth to finish out the game. Following Borho's homer, ACU loaded the bases and scored a run behind four straight walks. Thompson kept it going with an RBI fielder's choice before Ladusau finished his epic day with a two-run single to right-center field.
ACU wraps up the regular season on the road next weekend versus Utah Tech. The teams open the series in St. George, Utah at 7 p.m. (CT) Thursday ahead of a 7 p.m. (CT) first pitch Friday. The series finale is set for 1 p.m. (CT) Saturday.
The Wildcats clinched their third consecutive Western Athletic Conference series victory behind a career-high six runs batted in by the freshman Ladusau. He matched his career best with four hits in a 4-for-6 performance. Ladusau ended the game with a two-run single to reach the run rule. It's his 10th multi-hit game of the season. Five of Ladusau's RBIs came with two outs.
Thompson knocked in four runs, matching his career high and doing so for the second time this series. He reached base safely for the 21st game in a row with his 15th multi-hit effort.
Diego Cardenas notched his seventh-multi homer game of the season with a pair of solo shots. He climbed to the top of the WAC leaderboard with 22 home runs, good for 41 since 2025. Cardenas' second long ball of the day in the fifth inning put ACU ahead for good. He went 3 for 3, walked three times and scored a career-high five runs.
Cardenas made it aboard in his 18th consecutive game. It's his 17th multi-hit effort and team-high 13th game with multiple RBIs. Cardenas has scored multiple runs on 11 occasions.
Carson Wallace delivered another strong performance by an ACU freshman. He kept Utah Valley scoreless for the final 3.1 innings, allowing no hits and facing just one over the minimum. He struck out three batters.
The Wildcats drew a season-high 15 walks, including a career-high four by Grant Watkins, three of which were intentional. He went 1 for 2 to extend his hitting streak to 11th games.
Maddox Miesse and Nick Arias each walked twice, with one of Miesse's coming with the bases loaded. He went 1 for 3 and added an RBI double in the seventh inning. Miesse played his final game at The Crutch after spending all four years of his career at ACU.
Miesse and Zandt Payne each scored three times, while Arias came home twice. Reese Borho came through with his first home run of the season, a solo shot in the eighth inning. It's the eighth of his career. Payne, Ladusau and Thompson each stole a base.
Arias joined Thompson in reaching base safely in his 21st consecutive game and picked up his 11th multi-run performance. Payne tallied his team-leading 19th multi-run game.
After the Wolverines struck first with a pair of runs in the opening frame, the Wildcats answered with three in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded, Thompson singled up the middle to bring home a run. Two batters later, Ladusau singled through the left side of the infield to put ACU in front, 3-2.
Utah Valley tied the game with a run in the second inning, but a Wolverine throwing error in the bottom of the third allowed Watkins to score and reclaim ACU's lead at 4-3.
The back-and-forth affair continued in the fourth and fifth frames. Utah Valley's solo homer knotted the score at 4 before Cardenas sent the first pitch of the bottom of the fourth into ACU's bullpen for a solo shot of his own. Ladusau followed with an RBI single to make it a 6-4 ballgame.
The Wolverines added two more runs in the fifth, tying it at 6 before Wallace closed the top of the frame. Cardenas gave the Wildcats a lead they wouldn't lose with another big fly to right field in the home half of the inning. Ladusau padded ACU's lead to 8-6 with an RBI groundout in the sixth.
Back-to-back doubles around a pitching change brought home three runs for the Wildcats in the seventh. Miesse laced an RBI ground-rule double to right-center field before Thompson swatted a two-bagger to center field that scored two more runs.
The Wildcats broke out for five runs in the eighth to finish out the game. Following Borho's homer, ACU loaded the bases and scored a run behind four straight walks. Thompson kept it going with an RBI fielder's choice before Ladusau finished his epic day with a two-run single to right-center field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wallace, Carson (2-1)
L: Miller, Garrett (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Houston, Derek 2
HR: Houston, Derek 1
RBI: Strong, Mason 1 ; Houston, Derek 2 ; Brass, Cooper 1 ; Beck, Chipper 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Houston, Derek 2 ; Block, Brody 2 ; Carpenter, Kaden 1 ; Katschke, Hunter 1
SB: Block, Brody 1 ; Brass, Cooper 1
HBP: Block, Brody 1
Batting:
2B: Miesse, Maddox 1 ; Thompson, JT 1
HR: Cardenas, Diego 2 ; Borho, Reese 1
RBI: Miesse, Maddox 2 ; Cardenas, Diego 2 ; Borho, Reese 1 ; Thompson, JT 4 ; Ladusau, Brady 6
Base Running:
RUNS: Miesse, Maddox 3 ; Cardenas, Diego 5 ; Arias, Nick 2 ; Watkins, Grant 1 ; Borho, Reese 1 ; Thompson, JT 1 ; Payne, Zandt 3
SB: Thompson, JT 1 ; Ladusau, Brady 1 ; Payne, Zandt 1
HBP: Miesse, Maddox 1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
UTL
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballACU Baseball: Rick McCarty Press Conference | May 11, 2026
Tuesday, May 12
ACU Baseball: Senior Day Ceremony | May 9, 2026
Saturday, May 09
ACU Softball: Jo Koons Press Conference | May 4, 2026
Monday, May 04
ACU Women's Basketball: Julie Goodenough Press Conference | May 4, 2026
Monday, May 04
