WEATHERFORD, Okla. -- The sixth-ranked ACU Wildcats' late-season offensive slump continued Sunday afternoon as they managed just six hits and one run against Southwestern Oklahoma State in the Bulldogs' 2-1 Lone Star Conference win at SWOSU Park.
The Wildcats are 38-10 overall and 25-8 in the LSC, while the Bulldogs -- fighting for a spot in the LSC Post-Season Tournament -- are now 21-23 and 15-19. The teams were scheduled to play two games Sunday, but the field could only be readied for one game after heavy rain all weekend. The three-game series will conclude with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Monday.
The Wildcats are still comfortably atop the LSC standings, leading second-place Southeastern Oklahoma State by four games with six to play. The Wildcats have a six-game edge in the loss column over the Savage Storm, who are 23-14 in the LSC. The Wildcats have an LSC winning percentage of .758 compared to .622 for the Savage Storm.
But ACU's offense has hit the skids of late, averaging just 3.7 runs and 6.4 hits per game. The Wildcats have seen their team batting average drop 16 points (from .381 to .365) in the last 12 days.
ACU has gone 5-2 in the stretch, but the two losses have come in the Wildcats' last two games as they have lost to St. Edward's (18-3 last Tuesday) and Sunday at Southwestern Oklahoma State.
Sunday against the Bulldogs, ACU's pitching of
Cameron Aspaas, Will Calhoun and
Josh Crockett did the job, holding SWOSU to just four hits, one walk and two runs. But ACU's offense and defense let the Wildcats down.
With the game tied 1-1 in the sixth, Aspaas retired each of the first two men he faced before hitting Nelson Espinal. After a single by Michael Felton, an error in right field by
Travis Latz put runners at second and third with two outs. Aspaas then uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Espinal to score an unearned run to put the Bulldogs ahead 2-1.
The Wildcats, however, pieced together a ninth-inning rally against Southwestern pitcher Red Patterson.
With two outs,
Steve Camillucci walked and went to second on
Chris Hall's third hit of the day. When
Aaron Oliver walked the Wildcats had the bases loaded and the LSC's all-time hits leader -- Willie Uechi -- stepping to the plate.
But Patterson struck out Uechi looking to end the game, finishing off a day that saw Uechi go 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Patterson, in fact, struck out 15 Wildcats to increase his league-leading total to 97. ACU catcher
Ian Tomkins also struck out three times, while Oliver,
Cameron Bankston and
Cameron Watten each struck out twice. Calhoun, Latz and Hall each struck out once in the game.
