The ACU Wildcats now have reeled off five straight wins after beginning the season 0-2. No. 23 ACU used a three-run ninth inning to blow a two-run lead up to five.
“It’s definitally good to get things rolling again,” said senior Aaron Oliver. “Five straight is a good thing for us.”
Senior pitcher Will Calhoun had a big game for the Wildcats as a pitcher and designated hitter on Tuesday. Calhoun allowed just one earned run in three innings and moved to 3-0, batting in a run at the plate.
The Hilltoppers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Calhoun, with the bases loaded, walked Paul McCoy bringing in a run for St. Edwards.
ACU answered quickly in the top half of the fourth inning, with a runner on first and JR Roland at the plate. Roland homered to right field, bringing in two runs and giving the Wildcats a 2-1-run lead heading into the bottom half of the inning.
ACU relievers held down the Hilltoppers’ offense over the middle innings, allowing just three hits until the ninth.
“One of the things that have been going right during these five games is we have been able to get our bullpen to throw strikes and keep us in ball games,” said head coach Britt Bonneau.
It became a pitchers’ duel in the later innings, with neither team relenting.
ACU managed to tag St. Edward’s for a run in the eighth inning, stocking up an insurance run. Cameron Watten drew a walk with two outs in the inning before Bonneau brought in Bryce Gerhardt to pinch run for Watten. Gerhardt stole both second and third and was brought in on a throwing error by Kyle Harris, the Hilltoppers’ catcher.
In the ninth, ACU blew open the game, scoring first a on a wild pitch that brought Reed Watson home.
With two runners on base, Sky Valenzuela singled in Cameron Bankston, and Calhoun followed with an RBI single, bringing in Aaron Oliver.
With the win ACU, moves to 5-2 on the season before moving into a weekend match up with Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The Savage Storm are just 5-4 on the season after being picked to finish second, behind the Wildcats, in the Lone Star Conference. SEOSU has managed a sweep of the East Central Tigers this season, the same team ACU also swept this past weekend.
“We definitely will come out fired up,” said Oliver. “They’re a really good team.”
Games are scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m., and a double header is scheduled for Saturday, with games starting at noon and 2:30 p.m.
