By Grant Abston, Sports Editor
Led by shortstop Willie Uechi and junior college transfer Travis Latz, the 11th-ranked Wildcats opened the 2009 season with a 5-2 win in extra innings against Incarnate Word Tuesday afternoon.
Relief pitchers Kevin Justice, Cameron Aspaas and Brad Rutherford combined to allow just four hits after starting pitcher Preston Vancil allowed just two runs (one earned) in 4 1/3 innings. Rutherford picked up his first win of the season after allowing just one hit in the final two innings.
“We finally got some breaks where we actually hit the ball on the ground and got a few hits that scored a few runs,” said head coach Britt Bonneau. “Our pitchers saved us and did a great job of keeping us in the game.”
ACU tied the score at one in the top of the second after Latz flied out to right field, scoring outfielder Alex Harrison. The Wildcats took a 2-1 lead the next inning after outfielder Thomas Bumpass doubled to left center, scoring Davis Page. However, Incarnate Word tied the game at two in the bottom of the fifth inning after a sacrifice fly to force extra innings.
Despite putting two runners on in the bottom of the tenth, Rutherford got the Wildcats out of the inning by forcing an inning-ending double play. Texas Tech transfer and second baseman Chris Hall reached on an error to start the 11th inning before Incarnate Word recorded consecutive outs. Harrison kept the inning alive after drawing a walk and Uechi drove in Hall on the next at-bat to give ACU a 3-2 lead.
Latz recorded his second and third RBI of the game with a two-out double to give ACU a 5-2 lead. Incarnate Word managed to get one man on base with one out in the bottom of the 11th inning, but Rutherford forced a game-ending double play to give Bonneau his 499th win as ACU’s head coach.
“Our hitters are better than what they showed; we just didn’t make any adjustments and consistently got up there and did the same thing,” Bonneau said. “We have to work on that.”
The Wildcats will return to Abilene for their first home series of the season Friday when New Mexico Highlands comes to town. The Cowboys are 2-2 after falling to Eastern New Mexico twice last weekend and beating Texas-Permian Basin and Sul Ross State. The Cowboys will rely on starting pitchers Drew Vassil (0-0, 3.60 ERA) and Tyler Wichmann (0-1, 4.50 ERA) to contain the Wildcat offense.
For the Wildcats, Cooper Paige will get the start on Friday while Matthew Sullivan and Aspaas will start both games of the double header on Saturday. Vancil will get his second start of the season Sunday.
“From what I know, they are going to be a team that swings the bat a little bit and will have some arms, so it’s a good weekend series and will prepare us for next weekend’s conference games,” Bonneau said.
The Wildcats’ first game will be Friday at 4 p.m., followed by Saturday’s doubleheader at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. The series will conclude on Sunday at noon.
