By Grant Abston, Sports Editor
The ACU baseball team highlighted outstanding performances by ACU athletics, beginning with an undefeated weekend by the men and women’s tennis teams. The tennis teams combined to go 8-0 last weekend while the softball team gave up just one run in two games to sweep a doubleheader on Tuesday against Incarnate Word. The baseball team finished up Tuesday with a tripleheader sweep, defeating Marietta College and winning two games against the University of the Southwest.
Baseball
Catcher Jordan Schmitt continued his hot hitting in Tuesday’s non-conference tripleheader, going 8-11 with five doubles and one home run to set the Lone Star Conference career doubles record with 60.
Schmitt also tied former ACU all-America outfielder Mike Elkerson’s ACU career home run record, hitting his 27th while ACU improved to 21-5 and extended its win streak to seven.
In game one against Division III Marietta College, ranked No. 13, ACU jumped out to a 3-0 lead after an RBI double by Schmitt in the first inning and an RBI walk by third baseman Davis Page in the second and designated hitter Cameron Watten scored on a throwing error in the third.
The pioneers responded in the sixth innings, scoring two runs after designated hitter Cameron Cinimo hit a two-run home run. Relief pitcher Kevin Justice came in after the home run and put down the next three batters to end the inning. Left fielder Alex Harrison extended the Wildcats lead to 4-2 after an RBI single in the seventh and closer Brad Rutherford pitched the final two innings to earn his fourth save of the season. Starting pitcher Corey Kelly earned his first win of the season.
In the second game, the Wildcats exploded for 14 runs on 19 hits to win game one against the University of the Southwest to win 14-2. Despite falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, the Wildcats scored three in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead for good.
ACU scored 11 runs over the next four innings, led by short stop Willie Uechi, center fielder Thomas Bumpass and Schmitt. Each player had three hits and combined for six RBI. Page, Watten, designated hitter Ruben Perez, first baseman Bret Bochsler and second baseman Steve Camillucci each had two hits while starting pitcher Cooper Page earned his first win of the season after going six innings, giving up two runs on two hits.
In the final game, the Wildcat offense continued its hot streak, scoring 15 more runs to win 15-2 and sweep the tripleheader. Starting pitcher Seth Miller earned a no-decision after pitching two innings, giving up one run on three hits. Relief pitcher Andrew Yacek moved to 3-0 on the season, pitching two innings and allowing no runs and no hits while striking out two in relief of Miller.
Bumpass, Schmitt and Uechi led the Wildcats with two hits while designated hitter Anthony Walsh had two RBI. Uechi, Bumpass and Page had a game-high three RBI.
Due to bad weather, the Wildcats series against LSC opponent East Central University was pushed back to a Saturday, Sunday doubleheader. The Wildcats remain in first place and look to extend their LSC lead against the 9-15, 8-8 Tigers.
Softball
The softball team used two strong pitching performances to sweep a non-conference doubleheader against Incarnate Word Tuesday, improving to 18-9 overall.
In game one, starting pitcher Kim Partin pitched a complete game shutout in a five-inning run-rule game. The Wildcats scored nine runs in the second inning, highlighted by a two-run triple by short stop Melissa Rodriguez. Rodriguez finished 2-2 with two RBI while catcher Jessica Shiery finished 3-3 with three RBI and a home run. Left fielder Jenny Kulp added two hits and two RBI as Partin went five innings, allowing one run on one hit in the 10-1 win.
In the second game, starting pitcher Kim White pitched her first shutout of the season, giving up just four hits and striking out three to earn her third win of the season in a complete game.
ACU jumped to a 1-0 lead in the second inning and tacked on three more in the sixth to give the Wildcats a 4-0 win and a sweep of the doubleheader. Left fielder Caitlin Nabors led the team with three hits and one RBI while second baseman Jackie Gentile added two hits. First baseman Brianna Fowlkes and Shiery had the other Wildcat RBIs.
ACU’s LSC matchup with Texas Woman’s University was pushed back due to bad weather and will begin on Sunday with a doubleheader and conclude with a single game one Monday.
Tennis
The men and women’s tennis teams continued their hot start, going 8-0 and improving to 34-5 this season after sweeping last weekend.
The men, ranked No. 20 in the nation, defeated Incarnate Word, Midwestern State and St. Edward’s, ranked no. 4 in the region, to improve to 18-2. ACU defeated Incarnate Word and Midwestern State 7-2 before defeating St. Edward’s 5-4. Despite losing two of three in the doubles matches, the Wildcats won four singles matches to rally and beat the fourth-ranked team in the region.
The men’s next matches will be March 22-23 when they travel to play Lamar, Southern University and Louisiana-Lafayette.
The women’s team, ranked No. 7 in the nation, improved to 16-3 after defeating Schreiner, St. Edward’s, Incarnate Word and Midwestern State. ACU lost just one singles match in the four matches and twice on 9-0. They also defeated two teams ranked in the top ten in the region, St. Edward’s and No. 8 Incarnate Word.
The women will return to action March 25 when they travel to play DePaul and Dallas Baptist.
