By Grant Abston, Sports Editor
The Wildcats wrapped up their four-game series with Central Oklahoma on Sunday, splitting a double-header before winning a non-conference matchup with St. Mary’s University on Wednesday to improve to 11-3 overall and 7-1 in the Lone Star Conference.
After taking three of four from Central Oklahoma, the Wildcats jumped from No. 15 to No. 8 in the Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division II poll. The Wildcats’ No. 8 ranking is their highest since beginning the season at No. 11. ACU will continue conference play Friday at home in a four-game series against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
“It was a typical UCO-ACU series,” head coach Britt Bonneau said. “It was two teams that play each other very well and two teams that never give up on each other.”
In game one on Sunday, the Wildcats’ eight-game winning streak was snapped after the Bronchos rallied for five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take an 8-7 win. ACU took a two-run lead in the top of the eighth but could not hold off the Bronchos in the bottom half of the inning after a three-run homerun to give the Bronchos their only win of the season.
Second baseman Chris Hall and left fielder Anthony Walsh led the team with three hits, while Hall had a game-high 3 RBI. Starting pitcher Preston Vancil earned a no-decision after pitching seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits, while striking out 12.
In game two, the Wildcats used their own rally in the top of the ninth inning to win 12-8, keyed by a two-run homerun by third baseman Davis Page. The Bronchos scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game at seven, but the Wildcats scored two runs on passed balls before Page hit his first home run of the year to extend the Wildcats’ lead to four in the ninth inning. Relief pitcher Andrew Yacek pitched the final two innings, allowing one run on one hit to earn his second win of the season.
Hall led the Wildcats with four hits, while catcher Jordan Schmitt had two hits and a game-high 4 RBI. Page finished with two hits and two RBI, while designated hitter Travis Latz added two hits.
“I didn’t get off to a great start, and it wasn’t really how I would have liked to hit the ball early on [in the season], but I stayed relaxed, and luckily everything fell into place this past weekend,” said Hall, who finished the series with 12 hits to raise his season batting average to .431.
In Tuesday’s non-conference matchup against St. Mary’s, the Wildcat offense carried over, as ACU scored 11 runs on 10 hits to win 11-7. ACU broke the game open after scoring nine runs in the first five innings to take a 9-2 lead. Starting pitcher Cameron Watten got his first collegiate start and went 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on two hits. Relief pitcher Kevin Justice earned his second win of the season after pitching 1 1/3 innings, allowing no runs on no hits.
First baseman Bret Bochsler led the Wildcats with 2 RBI, including a two-run home run in the second inning. Hall and Page led the team with three hits, as every Wildcat starter recorded a base hit.
“Watten got first collegiate start, and it’s that time of the year when we have Tuesday and Wednesday games, and we need to develop another starter.”
The Wildcats return to action Friday when they play Texas A&M-Kingsville at home. The Javelinas are 5-7 overall and 3-5 in conference after being swept by Southwestern Oklahoma last weekend and defeating UH-Victoria on Tuesday. The reigning LSC champions defeated the Wildcats twice in the postseason conference tournament last season to win the LSC championship.
“They beat us twice in conference tournament to win the conference championship and we have that on our mind,” Bonneau said. “When you have a two-game lead in conference and have four home games, you want to extend that lead.”
The Wildcats will play two games Friday at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. before finishing the four-game series Saturday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
