By Joel Weckerly, Sports Editor

The freshman baseball team opened its 2004 season at 1-1 with a split in a two-team doubleheader at Crutcher Scott Field Wednesday.

The Wildcats won the first game 5-3 over Western Texas Junior College but lost the second game 4-2 to Hill Junior College.

Ryan Beasley was the winning pitcher in the come-from-behind Game 1 win.

Zack Sitzes went 3-for-5 with two stolen bases, while Anthony Dorsey helped lead the Cats at the plate with four RBI and one home run in a 2-for-4 effort.

In the loss to Hill, Bo Mechinus was ACU’s losing pitcher.

“It’s like I told the team afterward,” freshman team head coach Brandon Stover said. “We’re a bunch of walk-on guys and we were playing teams with guys who are all on scholarship. We won one and we lost one close. That’s a pride factor for us.”

Stover said that after watching his team in the openers, he could tell it was a team full of speed and athleticism.

“We have quite a bit of speed, actually,” Stover said. “That helps us a lot because we can get guys on base and move them over by stealing bases. I’d say we probably even have some guys who might be faster than some guys on varsity; they just aren’t as experienced.”

Stover said the team could also surprise some opponents with its depth of hard-hitters.

“We have three or four guys on the team who have quite a bit of power,” he said. “That’ll definitely be a big help for us offensively.”

The freshman team’s next game is a home doubleheader 2 p.m. Monday against Vernon Junior College.

Stover said right-hander Brandon Whitson will start the first game, while Beasley will throw the nightcap.