Cardenas Nears Tatrow’s Program Records as Wildcats Fall to Trailblazers

Friday, May 15

St. George, Utah

7 p.m. (CT)

Abilene Christian

25-28, 8-9

Utah Tech

32-22, 9-8

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

Diego Cardenas rounds the bases after hitting a home run in ACU's 11-4 win over Tarleton State in Stephenville, Texas on April 10, 2026.

Photo by: Kaylee Kahn

Cardenas Nears Tatrow’s Program Records as Wildcats Fall to Trailblazers

5/15/2026 11:40:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Luke White

ST. GEORGE, Utah - Diego Cardenas hit his conference-leading 23rd home run of the season in Abilene Christian baseball's 7-4 loss to Utah Tech at Bruce Hurst Field on Friday night. Cardenas drove in a pair of runs and also paces the Western Athletic Conference with 64 runs batted in.

The Wildcats wrap up the regular season versus the Trailblazers at 1 p.m. (CT) Saturday. RHP Evan Whiteaker is slated to start on the mound. ACU then heads to Mesa, Ariz. for the University Credit Union WAC Tournament from May 20-23.

Cardenas is chasing Grayson Tatrow's program records of 25 home runs and 68 RBIs, established in 2023. Cardenas sent the first pitch of the eighth inning over the batter's eye for a solo shot to round out ACU's scoring. He put the Wildcats on the board in the third inning with an RBI single that scored Braden Regala.

It's Cardenas' 18th multi-hit game and team-high 14th multi-RBI performance of the season.

Regala made his first start since April 7 versus TCU after dealing with a lingering injury. He was welcomed back to play with a 2-for-3 performance, scoring twice. Regala contributed an RBI single in the fifth inning and stole a base.

JT Thompson doubled to reach base safely for the 23rd game in a row, while Zandt Payne walked to make it aboard in 11 straight games.

ACU's pitching staff struck out nine batters, including six in three innings by Brett Lanman.

With two outs in the top of the third, Regala singled before stealing second. He then came home on Cardenas' base hit to right-center field.

The Wildcats evened the score at 3 in the fifth inning, with Kanon Sundgren leading off with a double. He raced home on Regala's RBI single, and a wild pitch and an error sent him to third. Regala scored on Nick Arias' sacrifice fly.