Watkins, Arias Slug Wildcats’ Way to 7-2 Win Over Hornets

Friday, May 1

Sacramento, Calif.

8 p.m. (CT)

Abilene Christian

22-23, 5-5

Sacramento State

21-26, 5-5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Abilene Christian	3	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	7	11	1
Sacramento State	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	0

Grant Watkins celebrates scoring a run during ACU's series versus CBU at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark on April 2-4, 2026.

Photo by: Kaylee Kahn

Watkins, Arias Slug Wildcats’ Way to 7-2 Win Over Hornets

5/2/2026 1:20:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Luke White

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Abilene Christian baseball got two big swings from Grant Watkins and Nick Arias to power it to a 7-2 win over Sacramento State on Friday night. The Wildcats earned their first series-opening victory in over a month at John Smith Field thanks to Watkins' grand slam and a three-run home run by Arias.

ACU looks to clinch the series win on the West Coast at 4 p.m. (CT) Saturday. Brett Lanman is slated to start on the bump for the Wildcats.

ACU jumped to a hot start out of the gate, and Arias gave it a lead it wouldn't relinquish. Zandt Payne led off the game with a single before Diego Cardenas walked. Arias then sent a 1-1 offering to the parking garage beyond left field for his seventh home run of the season as the Wildcats grabbed a 3-0 advantage before an out was recorded.

Back-to-back solo homers in the third inning got the Hornets within 3-2, but starter Aidan Coleman kept them hitless for the remainder of his six innings.

The Wildcats bolstered their lead in the sixth as singles by Arias, Ryan Jones and Brady Ladusau loaded the bases with two outs. Watkins made it a 7-2 ballgame with a grand slam to the deepest part of the park in center field. It's his first home run since April 10 and his 19th of the season, matching Utah Valley's Hunter Katschke atop the Western Athletic Conference leaderboard.

Baron Mannis put forth one of the top outings of his freshman campaign, facing just one batter over the minimum in three frames to close out the win. He earned his second save of the season with three strikeouts. Coleman was credited with his team-high fifth victory, allowing just two runs on four hits in six innings and punching out four.

Arias was one of three Wildcats with two hits, joining Payne and Jones. He had multiple hits in his 14th game this season, while Payne delivered his ACU-leading 20th multi-hit performance. Arias drove in multiple runs for the ninth time and extended his hitting streak to seven games. JT Thompson raised his to a team-leading nine games.

Arias and Thompson have each reached base safely in 15 consecutive games, and Cardenas drew a walk to elevate his streak to 12 games. Eight starters tallied a hit for the Wildcats. Watkins matched Cardenas with his team-high 11th multi-RBI game of the season and upped his hitting streak to five games.