CLEVELAND, Miss - The Wildcats got the best performance of the season from Kevin Justice but couldn't hold the lead losing for the third straight time to Delta State on Tuesday night at Ferriss Field. ACU dropped their second consecutive game and third straight to the Statesmen as they fell to 18-6 on the season.
Justice got his first start of the season for the Wildcats in the mid-week non-conference game going 5.2 innings. The Statesmen got their first hit in the bottom of the sixth when Josh Gordon hit a two out double to left. After another DSU hit Justice left allowing only two hits while striking out two and was later charged with the two runs when both runners scored.
The Wildcats took an early lead in the top of the second after Bret Bochsler drew a four pitch walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Bochsler would score two batters later when Cameron Watten singled to right field for the games' first run.
Both pitchers locked in as either team was held hitless until the sixth when ACU added three more runs. Will Calhoun walked and moved to third on an excellent hit and run by Travis Latz past the DSU secondbasemen. Bochsler would drive in Calhoun and Latz would score on an error by Gordon.
Bochsler would steal home after Cameron Bankston appeared to steal second but pulled up to draw the Statesmen in a run down.
In the seventh ACU would add one more run when DSU catcher Patrick Taylor's throwing error bounded into center field scoring Steve Camillucci.
The Statesmen would respond with their big inning in the seventh. After reliever Jordan Hartley loaded the bases he was replaced for Josh Crockett who gave up a single just past the reach of Willie Uechi. Crockett allowed two more hits while Hartley was charged with the runs before ending the seventh.
Chay Lytle pitched the eighth allowing two hits and what proved to be an insurance run for the Statesmen.
The Wildcats will look to get back on the winning track tomorrow in against the Statesmen at 2 p.m. The game can be heard again locally in Abilene on 1280 AM.
