Tuesday, May 5
Abilene, Texas
6 p.m.
Abilene Christian
vs
UT Rio Grande Valley
Photo by: Kaylee Kahn
Wildcats Host The Forces Unite, Senior Weekend to Wrap Up Home Slate
5/4/2026 10:40:00 PM | Baseball
ABILENE - Abilene Christian baseball will close out its home slate with its final midweek matchup versus UT Rio Grande Valley before returning to conference play against Utah Valley. The Wildcats aim for their third consecutive Western Athletic Conference series against the Wolverines while commemorating Senior Weekend.
ACU hosts former WAC and Southland Conference foe UTRGV at 6 p.m. Tuesday to celebrate The Forces Unite, presented by United Supermarkets. Fans have the opportunity to win a one-of-a-kind ACU baseball and Star Wars-themed baseball bat through a raffle benefiting New Horizons.
The Wildcats' final midweek matchup will be streamed on ESPN+, with Andy Penney (play-by-play) and Jaden West (analysis) on the call. Freshman LHP Carson Wallace is set to start on the mound. The Wildcats are 6-4 against the Vaqueros at home since 2016.
Senior Weekend kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday. Saturday's matchup features a 3 p.m. first pitch and a pregame ceremony honoring the Wildcats' seniors. ACU's home finale is set for 12 p.m. Sunday as the team celebrates Mother's Day.
Each game versus Utah Valley will be streamed on WAC International, with Roman Raffaeli (play-by-play) painting the picture. The Wildcats tout a 6-1 record versus the Wolverines in Abilene, dating back to 2020.
LOOKBACK ON LAST WEEK – After dropping a midweek affair to Dallas Baptist, ACU secured a WAC series win on the West Coast versus Sacramento State. LHP Baron Mannis continued his impressive freshman season with WAC Pitcher of the Week honors after allowing no runs with a pair of saves across three outings. Maddox Miesse hit 7 for 13 (.538) with a pair of home runs, while Nick Arias batted 6 for 16 (.375). Diego Cardenas hit two home runs on Sunday. Brett Lanman issued one his best starts of the season on Saturday, matching his season high with seven innings and striking out 10 batters. He allowed two runs on a season-low two hits.
ON-BASE MACHINE – Zandt Payne has displayed remarkable consistency this season, starting each of the Wildcats' 47 games with a .323 batting average and a .452 on-base percentage. He has reached base safely in all but two contests this season, including a streak of 35 games in which he made his way aboard. Payne leads the team with 32 walks and has been hit by a pitch 12 times, ranking second on ACU's roster. He has been recognized among the nation's top shortstops as a semifinalist for the 2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award.
WILDCATS DIG THE LONG BALL – The Wildcats have developed into one of the most powerful teams in the nation at the plate this season, tying for 18th with 81 home runs. Diego Cardenas is tied for 10th nationally and the WAC lead with 20 long balls, while Grant Watkins is drawn for 13th with 19 homers. ACU is one of two teams with two hitters ranked within the top 13, joining No. 20 Ole Miss. Over the past two seasons, Watkins and Cardenas have combined for 74 home runs with 35 and 39, respectively. Cardenas also leads the conference with 59 RBIs.
BIG FISH – Brady Ladusau blasted two home runs versus Indiana on April 18 to establish the Wildcats' Division I true freshman home run record with four. He now has five long balls, the most home runs by a Wildcat in their first collegiate season in ACU's Division I era. Ladusau also scored five runs in the game against the Hoosiers, the most by a Wildcat since 2021.
JUCO BANDITS – ACU's 2026 roster features a heavy representation of former junior college players, including many of its top performers. Sixteen Wildcats competed at a junior college before making their way to Abilene. That list includes nine position players (Thompson, Payne, Arias, Watkins, Hardcastle, Cardenas, Baier, Brzozowski, Sundgren) and seven pitchers (Greanead, Galvan, Jeon, Swaim, Young, Patterson, Adams). Nine Wildcats were previously on power conference rosters (Thompson, McGarrh, Jones, Brzozowski, Batten, Jeon, Coleman, Sundgren, Whiteaker).
ABILENE TO OMAHA – ACU has adopted the mantra of "ATO," or "Abilene to Omaha," under head coach Rick McCarty, referencing the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. The motto recognizes the Wildcats' intent to establish themselves on the national stage as a mid-major program.
LAST RUN IN THE WAC - The Wildcats enter the final season of the Western Athletic Conference before it is rebranded into the United Athletic Conference, beginning with the 2026-27 athletic year. ACU will join the UAC alongside WAC partners UT Arlington and Tarleton State. The Texas trio will join Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, Little Rock, North Alabama and West Georgia.
ACU hosts former WAC and Southland Conference foe UTRGV at 6 p.m. Tuesday to celebrate The Forces Unite, presented by United Supermarkets. Fans have the opportunity to win a one-of-a-kind ACU baseball and Star Wars-themed baseball bat through a raffle benefiting New Horizons.
The Wildcats' final midweek matchup will be streamed on ESPN+, with Andy Penney (play-by-play) and Jaden West (analysis) on the call. Freshman LHP Carson Wallace is set to start on the mound. The Wildcats are 6-4 against the Vaqueros at home since 2016.
Senior Weekend kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday. Saturday's matchup features a 3 p.m. first pitch and a pregame ceremony honoring the Wildcats' seniors. ACU's home finale is set for 12 p.m. Sunday as the team celebrates Mother's Day.
Each game versus Utah Valley will be streamed on WAC International, with Roman Raffaeli (play-by-play) painting the picture. The Wildcats tout a 6-1 record versus the Wolverines in Abilene, dating back to 2020.
LOOKBACK ON LAST WEEK – After dropping a midweek affair to Dallas Baptist, ACU secured a WAC series win on the West Coast versus Sacramento State. LHP Baron Mannis continued his impressive freshman season with WAC Pitcher of the Week honors after allowing no runs with a pair of saves across three outings. Maddox Miesse hit 7 for 13 (.538) with a pair of home runs, while Nick Arias batted 6 for 16 (.375). Diego Cardenas hit two home runs on Sunday. Brett Lanman issued one his best starts of the season on Saturday, matching his season high with seven innings and striking out 10 batters. He allowed two runs on a season-low two hits.
ON-BASE MACHINE – Zandt Payne has displayed remarkable consistency this season, starting each of the Wildcats' 47 games with a .323 batting average and a .452 on-base percentage. He has reached base safely in all but two contests this season, including a streak of 35 games in which he made his way aboard. Payne leads the team with 32 walks and has been hit by a pitch 12 times, ranking second on ACU's roster. He has been recognized among the nation's top shortstops as a semifinalist for the 2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award.
WILDCATS DIG THE LONG BALL – The Wildcats have developed into one of the most powerful teams in the nation at the plate this season, tying for 18th with 81 home runs. Diego Cardenas is tied for 10th nationally and the WAC lead with 20 long balls, while Grant Watkins is drawn for 13th with 19 homers. ACU is one of two teams with two hitters ranked within the top 13, joining No. 20 Ole Miss. Over the past two seasons, Watkins and Cardenas have combined for 74 home runs with 35 and 39, respectively. Cardenas also leads the conference with 59 RBIs.
BIG FISH – Brady Ladusau blasted two home runs versus Indiana on April 18 to establish the Wildcats' Division I true freshman home run record with four. He now has five long balls, the most home runs by a Wildcat in their first collegiate season in ACU's Division I era. Ladusau also scored five runs in the game against the Hoosiers, the most by a Wildcat since 2021.
JUCO BANDITS – ACU's 2026 roster features a heavy representation of former junior college players, including many of its top performers. Sixteen Wildcats competed at a junior college before making their way to Abilene. That list includes nine position players (Thompson, Payne, Arias, Watkins, Hardcastle, Cardenas, Baier, Brzozowski, Sundgren) and seven pitchers (Greanead, Galvan, Jeon, Swaim, Young, Patterson, Adams). Nine Wildcats were previously on power conference rosters (Thompson, McGarrh, Jones, Brzozowski, Batten, Jeon, Coleman, Sundgren, Whiteaker).
ABILENE TO OMAHA – ACU has adopted the mantra of "ATO," or "Abilene to Omaha," under head coach Rick McCarty, referencing the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. The motto recognizes the Wildcats' intent to establish themselves on the national stage as a mid-major program.
LAST RUN IN THE WAC - The Wildcats enter the final season of the Western Athletic Conference before it is rebranded into the United Athletic Conference, beginning with the 2026-27 athletic year. ACU will join the UAC alongside WAC partners UT Arlington and Tarleton State. The Texas trio will join Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, Little Rock, North Alabama and West Georgia.
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