ABILENE – Brett Hammit launched two home runs,
Grayson Tatrow had three extra-base hits, and the ACU baseball team split the Saturday doubleheader with UTRGV at Crutcher Scott Field. The Wildcats (19-20, 8-10 WAC) erupted for nine runs in the first inning of game one to blow the game open and win 12-2 in seven innings, and the Vaqueros (23-16, 9-9 WAC) answered with a 7-5 victory in game two after scoring two in the top of the ninth inning. The split keeps ACU in fourth place in the WAC Southwest Division standings, a half-game ahead of SFA. The top four in the division head to the conference tournament.
How It Happened
- The first inning in Game 1 was insane. The Wildcats scored nine times, and it began with the bases loaded. UTRGV made an error at second base on a ball that came off the bat of
Miller Ladusau, and ACU led 1-0. The next batter
Bryson Hill hit a grand slam to left field to blow the inning wide open.
- Two batters later,
Brett Hammit launched a solo homer to left, and the lead was 6-0. Three batters later, the home run ball was in effect again when
Grayson Tatrow obliterated one to right field that landed past the trees in front of the University Park apartments. The game effectively was over after the first inning.
- UTRGV got a couple of runs in the top of the third with a two-run homer off
Genner Cervantes.
- The final three runs of Game 1 occurred in the home third inning.
Tanner Tweedt and Ladusau teamed up for rbi-singles to push the lead to 11-2, and the all-important 12th run scored on a Vaquero balk.
- Both pitchers got off to good starts in Game 2, but did it in different ways.
Adam Stephenson left five runners stranded in the first two innings before getting a lead from his offense.
-
Colton Eager launched a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the third to put the 'Cats in front, 1-0, after three innings.
- ACU added another run in the home fourth when
Alexei Cazarin, who made the start at shortstop in both games Saturday, singled into right field to plate Hill. ACU led 2-0.
- UTRGV struck big in the sixth inning, scoring on an rbi-single and a three-run home run to lead 4-2.
-
Brett Hammit tied things up in the home sixth with his second homer of the day, this one a two-run shot to left.
- The Vaqueros would take a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh with an rbi-single up the middle, but the Wildcats once again answered. Tweedt doubled off the wall in right field to even the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh.
- UTRGV took the lead in the top of the ninth off a sacrifice bunt that turned into a throwing error by the Wildcats, and then singled in a run to lead and ultimately win, 7-5.
Stat Pack
- Cervantes got the win and pitched 6.0 great innings in the opening game, allowing two earned on five hits with seven strikeouts.
-
Garrett Egli pitched a scoreless top of the seventh to initiate the run-rule win, 12-2.
- Stephenson went 5.1 innings in game two, allowing two earned runs on eight hits with six strikeouts.
-
Connor Carlton threw 1.0 inning out of the 'pen in game two, allowing a run on two hits.
- Tatrow tallied four hits Saturday, including two doubles and a homer, and drove three runs.
- Hill recorded three hits and drove in a team-high four runs for the day.
- Hammit put together a three-hit, three-RBI day as well. Hammit launched two homers for the day.
- Cazarin and Tweedt each tallied three hits Saturday as well.
Beyond the Box Score
- Tatrow's on-base streak is up to 31 consecutive games.
- Eager has reached base safely in 25 straight games.
- Gieser's on-base streak is 14 games, and Ladusau's is up to 12 in a row.
On Deck
- The Wildcats head to Lubbock for a date with No. 9 Texas Tech on Tuesday, April 26. The game gets underway at 6:30 p.m. and will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ as well as 102.7 The Bear.
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