By Grant Abston, Sports Editor
After splitting last weekend’s series against New Mexico Highlands, the Wildcat baseball team will look to build off head coach Britt Bonneau’s milestone victory this weekend against Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
Despite splitting the four-game series against New Mexico Highlands, the Wildcats moved to 3-2 on the season, dropping from No. 11 to No. 24 in the national polls. But after winning game three last weekend and picking up Bonneau’s 500th career win, the Wildcats have won two-straight going into their first Lone Star Conference series of the season.
“We have a Southwestern team coming in this weekend with a lot of new faces, but they are playing with a lot of confidence,” Bonneau said. “It’s big home series for us to start out conference.”
The Bulldogs enter the series at 4-2 after winning three of four against Oklahoma Panhandle State and defeating Mid-America Christian University before losing to Emporia State last weekend. The Bulldogs are hitting .392 as a team, averaging more than 11 runs a game, and are led by outfielder Kenny Hare, who leads the team with a .579 batting average, two home runs and nine RBI. Third baseman Rick Kirby leads the team with 13 RBI and is followed by infielder Nelson Espinal, who has 11 RBI.
Starting pitcher Scott Branch (1-0) leads all starters with a 4.50 ERA and 10 strikeouts after two games started. Pitcher Max Grocki (0-0) has a 3.00 ERA, and pitcher Drake Acord (1-0) has started one game and is holding opposing batters to a .235 average.
“We want to get started out on the right foot,” said starting pitcher Preston Vancil. “When every team in our conference comes here, they are going to bring their ‘A’ game. Getting off on the right foot is really important to us, and I’m looking forward to this weekend.”
Vancil (0-0) enters the weekend with a 1.59 ERA after two starts and leads the team in innings pitched (11 1/3) and strikeouts (13). Matt Sullivan (0-0), Cooper Paige (0-1) and Cameron Aspass (1-0) all started last weekend and will be counted on again for strong pitching performances. Closer Brad Rutherford (2-0) picked up two wins last weekend and is second on the team with eight innings pitched.
After a slow start offensively last weekend, the Wildcats scored 13 runs in their last two wins, which matched the number of runs scored throughout their first three games. Shortstop Willie Uechi leads the team with a .400 batting average after going 7-16 last weekend. Third baseman Cameron Watten is second on the team with a .385 batting average, while catcher Jordan Schmitt leads the team with 5 RBIs and one home run.
The Wildcats swept Southwestern Oklahoma State in a three-game series last season on the road, and the Bulldogs will be looking for payback.
“We’re going to need two good practices and work hard and be ready to go to war again,” Bonneau said. “From this point on, every game we play is a conference game and it’s time to go.”
The series began on Thursday with a 8-1 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma. The Wildcats will play a doubleheader on Friday at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. before finishing up the series on Saturday at 1 p.m.
