By Grant Abston, Sports Editor
After recording its biggest come-from-behind win of the season, the seventh-ranked Wildcats will look to carry that momentum into this weekend when they travel to play Eastern New Mexico in a four-game Lone Star Conference series.
After falling behind 8-3 going into the eighth inning in Sunday’s finale against Southeastern Oklahoma, the Wildcats rallied for eight runs to win 8-11 and take three of four from the Savage Storm. The Wildcats enter this weekend 26-8 overall and 15-5 in the LSC. ACU has a two-game lead over Angelo State for first in conference, while Eastern New Mexico (17-14, 12-12) sits in fifth place.
“[Eastern New Mexico] is one of scariest teams in the league in my opinion,” head coach Britt Bonneau said. “They play every out like it’s the national championship game, and the only way I have success against [ENMU head coach] Phil Clabaugh is to approach these games like they are the most important of our life.”
The Greyhounds enter the series coming off a split with second-place Angelo State last weekend and defeating New Mexico Highlands 16-1 in a non-conference matchup Tuesday. Catcher Freddy Carmona leads the Greyhounds’ offense with a .422 batting average, while starting all 31 games this season; Carmona also leads the team in hits (49), doubles (10), triples (3), home runs (4) and RBI (37). ENMU is averaging just over 6.5 runs this season and has a .313 team batting average.
On the mound, Matther Aragon (2-2, 5.28 ERA) and Ismael Solis (1-1, 5.56) lead all starting pitchers, while relief pitcher Evan Orsak, who leads the team with a 3.28 ERA, will be key to the Greyhounds’ success out of the bullpen. ENMU has given up 10 or more runs eight times this season and hopes the bullpen can contain an ACU offense that has scored 10 or more runs 14 times and is averaging more than eight runs a game.
“We know we have to do a lot of little things right and be patient at the plate and not get frustrated on mound,” Bonneau said. “It’s going to be a very tough weekend for us, and we have to control the game and be real selective and hit our pitches.”
ACU enters the series with the top hitting team in the LSC, holding a .350 team batting average that leads the conference with 384 hits. Shortstop Willie Uechi, the LSC leader in hits with 60, also leads the LSC in hitting with a .455 batting average, while catcher Jordan Schmitt (.441) and Chris Hall (.414) all have averages above .400. After seven more RBI last weekend, Schmitt extended his LSC lead in RBIs to 60 and also leads the conference in slugging percentage (.819). Center fielder Thomas Bumpass (.392) and designated hitter/pitcher Cameron Watten (.385) round out the top five in hitting.
“Schmitt is having a pretty ridiculous year and has put us on his back,” Uechi said. “I don’t know how many big hits he has had for us, and he’s been our workhorse.”
Starting pitchers Cameron Aspaas (5-1, 2.68 ERA) and Preston Vancil (2-3, 3.66 ERA) will lead the Wildcats’ pitching rotation, which has an LSC-leading 4.45 ERA. Watten (2-0), who leads the team with a 1.15 ERA, will be out again this weekend to rest his arm. Relief pitchers Kevin Justice and Andrew Yacek will be counted on again out of the bullpen, as well as closer Brad Rutherford, who picked up a win and a save last weekend.
The four-game series will begin Saturday with a doubleheader at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and will conclude Sunday with a doubleheader at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
“We need to try and play consistent baseball and not let errors beat us,” Bonneau said. “We just hope we continue to approach the game like we have been, and I think we will be right where we need to be come tournament time.”
