By Daniel Johnson, Sports Editor
ACU moved up five spots from No. 17 to No. 12 in Division II national rankings and remained in first place in the Lone Star Conference South Division, despite splitting a four-game series with defending LSC South champions Angelo State this weekend.
ACU swept Friday’s games 10-3 and 1-0, and Angelo swept Sunday’s games 14-13 and 3-2 for the first series split between the two.
“I’m am not disappointed with being 2-2 against Angelo,” said head coach Britt Bonneau. “We set out to possibly win the series, and we put ourselves in a position to do just that.”
ACU had two opportunities to win the series Sunday but failed to get the winning hits when needed in both of Sunday’s games.
The Wildcats battled back from a 14-2 deficit in game one with a 11-run rally late in the game but failed to score the needed runs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
“When you’re down 14-2 and you fight back to get within a run, I would hate to say we should have won it,” Bonneau said.
ACU’s second chance to win the series ended similarly as the Wildcats fell on the short end of an extra-inning pitchers’ duel between the LSC South rivals.
After squeezing out two runs a piece for a 2-2 tie in the seventh, which sent the game into extra innings, ACU left two runners on base and was unable to match an Angelo run in the top of the ninth that ended the game 3-2.
ACU won the Friday’s games behind the pitching of starters Chris Wiman and undefeated starter Trey Watten.
Wiman and Watten each recorded their sixth wins to help extend ACU’s home record to 22-3.
Wiman received all the run support he needed in game one after an early five-run inning in the third. Wiman rallied behind his run support and kept Angelo’s lineup silent for four straight innings before giving up three runs late in the game. But Angelo’s rally proved too little too late as the Wildcats scored consistently in the last four innings of the game, eventually winning 10-3.
Watten’s win came after matching Angelo pitcher Michael Gunter in a pitcher’s duel to keep his team in the game. The only hit that ended up counting for the Wildcats was a RBI single by right fielder Mike Elkerson in the fourth inning as Watten shutout Angelo in his six innings on the mound.
Closer Jameson Maj continued to be consistent for the Wildcats and recorded his 10th save in game two. Maj, who now holds the single-season and career saves records with his conference best total, struck out nine batters and only gave up five hits and two earned runs in five innings of work.
ACU is now 6-2 in LSC South play and 31-10 overall. The Wildcats continue to lead the conference in numerous offensive and defensive categories including batting average, RBI and hits.
