By Daniel Johnson, Sports Editor

Head baseball coach Britt Bonneau knows the benefit of consistent hitting.

Had the Wildcats scored runs late in its game against Southern Arkansas on Sunday, it would have won the series over its regional opponents.

“Once we get the lead we’ve got to continue to put runs across the board,” Bonneau said. “We’ve got to learn to play all nine innings.”

ACU lost two out of three games to regional opponent Southern Arkansas this weekend dropping its record to 5-2 and ranking to No. 18 in the nation. ACU lost Saturday 8-6 and 8-7 Sunday.

Despite scoring a pair of high run innings – three in the first and four in the fifth – the Wildcats were unable to facilitate runs when it counted in Sunday’s loss. Southern Arkansas, though, spread out its runs, eventually sending it to extra innings tied at 7-7.

“That game was like a seesaw match,” Bonneau said.

The Mulreiders won after Jeremy Triche ended the game with a walk-off solo homerun.

“We just didn’t get the breaks we needed,” said pitcher Chris Wiman.

ACU’s only win of the weekend was a 3-0 shutout in Saturday’s second game. Wiman, who pitched six full innings and struck out seven Mulreiders, started on the mound in that win and played a large part of it.

“Wiman threw a great game,” Bonneau said. “He threw a shutout and that’s just what we needed.”

Wiman is 2-0 as a starter and has thrown 10 total strikeouts.

Although the pitching wasn’t perfect in the Wildcats two losses, Bonneau wasn’t surprised.

“It’s always tough to be pitching on the road,” Bonneau said.

Although the Wildcats lost the series, Bonneau said he is thankful for the benefits playing close games early in the season has for the rest of the season.

“That’s why we scheduled these tough games on the road to get better,” Bonneau said.

ACU’s next three game series will be against East Central at Crutcher Scott Field on Saturday and Sunday.