Cardenas Makes History as Wildcats Split First Round Games at WAC Tournament

Wednesday, May 20

Mesa, Ariz.

5 p.m. (CT)

Abilene Christian

25-29

Sacramento State

26-30

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Abilene Christian	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	4	10	0
Sacramento State	2	0	4	0	0	0	0	3	X	9	12	0

Diego Cardenas celebrates hitting a home run in ACU's matchup with Sacramento State in the WAC Tournament in Mesa, Ariz. on May 20, 2026.

Photo by: Western Athletic Conference

Cardenas Makes History as Wildcats Split First Round Games at WAC Tournament

5/21/2026 7:29:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Luke White

MESA, Ariz. - Diego Cardenas wrote his name in the record book as Abilene Christian baseball split a pair of first round games at the University Credit Union Western Athletic Conference Tournament on Wednesday. The Wildcats dropped a 9-4 decision to Sacramento State before closing with a 5-3 win over UT Arlington in the nightcap.

Cardenas hit his 25th home run of the season against the Hornets at Hohokam Stadium to match Grayson Tatrow atop the ACU single-season leaderboard. He followed with two runs batted in versus the Mavericks, capturing the program's single-season RBI record with 69 runs driven in this season.

Fifth-seeded ACU returns to action at 9 p.m. (CT) Thursday against the loser of the matchup between No. 2 California Baptist and No. 3 Utah Tech. The Wildcats' quarterfinals game will be streamed on ESPN+.

Aidan Coleman kept ACU's season alive with a career-high eight innings versus No. 6 UT Arlington. He earned his seventh win of the season, allowing just three runs and keeping the Mavericks scoreless from the second inning to the eighth. Coleman struck out three batters and showcased his efficiency with just 93 pitches.

Brady Coe picked up his fifth save of the season, allowing no runs in the ninth inning with a pair of punchouts.

All but one Wildcat collected a hit, with five — Maddox Miesse, Zandt Payne, Kanon Sundgren, Reese Borho and Braden Regala — registering two apiece. Borho scored twice. ACU struck for 13 hits and did its damage with five runs between the fifth and sixth innings.

Payne recorded his team-high 22nd multi-hit game of the season, while Cardenas marked his 16th performance with multiple RBIs. JT Thompson made it aboard in both of the day's games to reach base safely for 26 games in a row.

ACU loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a trio of well-placed base hits. Borho opened the frame with a bunt single into no man's land before Regala laid down a bunt and outraced the throw to first base for a hit. Miesse then loaded the bases with a single through the right side.

Cardenas put the Wildcats on the board and evened the score at 1 with a sacrifice fly to the warning track, plating Borho and advancing Regala to third base. ACU scored the go-ahead run with a successful double steal as the speedster Regala sprinted home.

The Wildcats continued their small ball in the sixth inning. Brady Ladusau and Sundgren singled to put a pair on, and Borho's second bunt base hit loaded the bases. Regala kept the hit parade going with an RBI infield single, a slow roller to second base.

With the bags juiced, Miesse drew a walk to bring home another run before Cardenas issued his second consecutive sacrifice fly, making it a 5-1 ballgame. The Mavericks added a couple runs in the top of the ninth before Coe shut things down.

ACU opened the day against Sacramento State, where it couldn't ride the momentum of an early lead. Ladusau drove in three runs with a pair of hits as Miesse went 3 for 4 at the plate. Cardenas and Nick Arias each struck for two hits and scored twice.

Ladusau, a freshman, is third on the team with 10 multi-RBI games this season. Cardenas and Arias each recorded their 20th multi-hit performance and 13th multi-run effort.

The Wildcats started hot with a pair of runs in the opening frame coming with two outs. Cardenas and Arias singled before Miesse drew a walk on four pitches. Ladusau laced a base hit up the middle to bring home a pair of runs.

The Hornets responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame and four runs in the third. They took a 9-2 advantage into the final inning, where the Wildcats added a couple of runs. Cardenas got it started with his record-tying blast, a 419-foot solo home run to right-center field.

Arias and Miesse followed with singles that sandwiched Thompson being hit by a pitch. Ladusau was then beaned with a pitch of his own, plating ACU's final run.