The Wildcats will travel to Portales, New Mexico to take on the Zias of Eastern New Mexico University. The three-game weekend series this weekend will start the conference season for ACU.
After going 3-2 last weekend, ACU improved to 14-13 overall. The Wildcats will take on a struggling ENMU team with a 3-15 record this season. The Zias have lost six in a row as they enter conference play. The ‘Cats, on the other hand, have won 6 of their last 8 games.
“This is the kind of series that gives a coach nightmares,” said Coach Bobby Reeves. “We need to win all three games, and if you want to make the post season, these are the series you have to win all three games. Ultimately, I am just looking for us to go up there and take care of business, and hopefully, we will get three wins.”
ACU has been led by its offense this season, batting over .300 as a team, with a slugging percentage at .425. ACU also has hit 17 home runs as a team, including five by Valentina Nabayan.
ACU’s pitching has been improving all season, but the Wildcats still have a high team ERA at 4.53. Brittany Rexroat leads the Wildcats with a 7-2 record and a 3.50 ERA.
The Zias have struggled this season, only hitting .200 as a team. While their pitching has not been any better, ENMU has a team ERA of 6.49, as opponents are averaging a .354 batting average.
Despite the low team batting average, the Zias are led by Taylor Howard offensively, who has started every game for Eastern New Mexico and currently is batting .389 on the season.
The Wildcats originally were picked to finish sixth in the LSC South out of eight teams. ACU is looking to succeed expectations in conference play, starting this weekend.
“Our goal is to make the conference tournament. We are going to do everything we can to get in the top four,” Reeves said. “We need to go out and play like we are supposed to play every weekend, and hopefully we will finish in the top four.”
The first pitch between the two teams is set for 4 p.m. Friday. ACU and ENMU will play a double header on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. All games will be played at Eastern New Mexico.
