The Wildcats, after being swept by Angelo State two weekends ago, snapped a four-game losing streak winning two of three from rival Tarleston State in a Lone Star Conference showdown.
Coach Bonneau’s squad used a three-run eighth inning Friday night to pull out the 8-5 win over the Texans. The Wildcats were up early on Tarleton as they jumped out to a 5-2 lead after just four innings.
In the fourth inning, senior Cameron Watten got on with a lead-off double. Catcher Ian Tomkins, and infielder Bryce Gerhardt reached base on a walk and hit-by-pitch respectively. With the bases loaded, senior outfielder Cameron Bankston blasted a grand slam off of TSU pitcher Ryan Salt to put ACU in front.
“We saw some consistency at the plate, had some big hits from guys who got us back in games,” said Bonneau.
The Texans fought back in the sixth, however, scoring three runs off of senior Will Calhoun and pitcher Kevin Justice to pull the score even after six.
Calhoun would stay in the game as the DH. He came up huge for the Wildcats in the eighth inning that put ACU ahead for good. In the eighth inning, with the bases already loaded, Calhoun hit a single that brought in both Watson and Tomkins. The two runs gave ACU the 8-5 win.
On Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader with the Texans, the Wildcats struggled on the mound from the first pitch. Freshman Jason Harris was tagged for seven runs in the first inning, and that was all he would throw. Harris’s performance was in stark contrast to the Texans’ Nathan Lewis who threw a complete game allowing just two runs in seven innings and striking out nine.
The Wildcat relievers didn’t do much to help ACU’s cause giving a combined eight runs in the final five innings and the Wildcats were dismantled 15-2.
ACU came back in the final game of the three-game set to take the series in an 18-6 thumping of the Texans.
Aaron Oliver was spectacular for the Wildcats going 5 for 6 at the plate with two RBIs and scoring four times himself. Reed Watson also came up big for ACU with four hits and four RBIs.
Pitcher Kris Carlson gave up an early run in the bottom of the first to give the Texans a 1-0 lead. Carlson pitched four innings giving up five runs on four hits and allowing six walks.
The Wildcats pulled together a three-run third inning and never looked back. Calhoun blasted a three-run shot to give the Wildcats the 3-1 lead after three.
ACU would go on to score runs in every inning to follow including three in both the eighth and ninth innings.
“I feel like we are starting to play a complete nine innings. We finally looked like we are turning the corner,” said Bankston.
With the series win, ACU moved to 14-10 on the season and 7-8 in the LSC.
ACU will be back in action this weekend with a home series against LSC opponent Northeastern State.
