Abilene Christian University Athletics

ABILENE -- The ACU Wildcats got the 2010 season off to a rousing and highly successful start Saturday with a doubleheader sweep of Harding University at Crutcher Scott Field.

The 13th-ranked Wildcats rallied in both games, winning the first game 16-9 thanks to an eight-run bottom of the sixth outburst, and then taking the nightcap 6-5, a victory not secured until Cameron Bankston threw out the potential game-tying run at the plate for the final out of the game.

ACU senior first baseman Bret Bochsler was one of the hitting stars for the Wildcats, finishing a combined 5 for 6 with three doubles, one home run and six RBI in the doubleheader.  Travis Latz was a combined 3 for 6 with one triple, one home run and four RBI in the doubleheader.

And newcomer Clint Bowker had an impact, collecting the season's first ACU hit and scoring its first run as he finished the day 4 for 6 with three runs scored, two doubles and three RBI.

ACU and Harding will conclude the season-opening four-game series Sunday with another doubleheader starting at 12:35 p.m.

Below is a brief recap of each game:

GAME ONE (ACU 16, Harding 9):  With transfer pitcher Will Calhoun on the mound, the Wildcats rallied from a 3-2 deficit with a six-run fourth-inning outburst.  But Harding rallied with six runs of its own in the top of the fifth to regain a 9-8 lead.

But another big Wildcat inning -- this time an eight-run bottom of the sixth -- was enough to propel the Wildcats to a season-opening victory.  ACU sent 11 batters to the plate in the sixth, collected six hits and took advantage of three walks, two errors and one wild pitch by the Bison.

Latz got the inning started with a walk, and he later came around to score the game-tyhing run.  Bowker had an RBI double to drive in Latz and he scored on an RBI single by Abe Williams.  Bochsler had an RBI double, and Bankston also had an RBI single in the frame.  Latz ended the inning with a two-run triple to put ACU on top 16-9.

ACU closer Brad Rutherford came into the game in the top of the seventh and struck out all three Harding batters looking to end the contest.

GAME TWO (ACU 6, Harding 5):  The Wildcats had to rally again in the nightcap, this time coming back frmo a 5-2 deficit.  All five Harding runs came in the fourth with two runs scoring on Erin McCarver's two-run double.

But ACU rallied again, this time scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 6-5 lead.  With one out, Cameron Watten singled before Calhoun singled to left to put runners at first and second.  Bowker then singled to drive in Watten to make it 5-3.  Bochsler then doubled off the wall in right field to drive in a pair of runners and tie the game at five apiece.  Bankston then drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single to left-centerfield to put the Wildcats on top, 6-5.

With Rutherford back on the mound in the top of the seventh, he retired Clay West to lead off the inning before Jason Nappi -- who had a pair of home runs in the first game -- reached on an infield single.  Anthony Guglielmi then struck out looking for the second out, setting the stage for Bankston's heroics.

On a 2-2 pitch with Nappi on second, former Wildcat Trent Kinnear singled sharply to right field.  Bankston fielded the ball cleanly and threw a strike to the plate, nailing Nappi at the plate for the final out of the game.