The ACU baseball team did exactly what Head Coach Britt Bonneau said is essential to making the Lone Star Conference Post-Season Tournament last weekend against University of Central Oklahoma, winning two out of three games.

The ‘Cats won their game against the Bronchos 7-6 Friday night before winning the second game 7-5 the following Saturday 7-5.

ACU currently sits in seventh in the Lone Star Conference South Division standings, making every series from now until the end of the season vital in the grand scheme of things.

“The goal has always been to take two out of three in a series,” Bonneau said. “It’s even more critical and we’re placing even more emphasis now as we begin to head down the home stretch of our schedule.”

In the Friday opener, the Wildcat bullpen was the headline as it held Central Oklahoma to four scoreless innings en route to the 7-6 victory in Edmond, Okla.

ACU took an early lead in the top of the second when J.R. Roland scored on a wild pitch.  The next batter, Cameron Watten, would send a single past the infield, scoring Ian Tomkins.

The Bronchos would counter the Wildcat runs in the bottom of the second, bringing the game to within one.  They then would take a 5-2 lead in the third when Kevin Blue hit a two RBI single to center field.

Both teams exchanged a run in the fourth before ACU mounted their comeback.

Will Calhoun led off the fifth with a solo home run, one that was essential for the comeback effort.

“That was a big moment for us,” Calhoun said. “It showed the team that we’re still in it and we aren’t backing down. One swing of the bat instantly turned a three-run lead into a two-run lead and provided a much needed spark for our guys.”

An RBI Calhoun single and wild pitch that allowed Cameron Bankston to score in the sixth would prove to be the clinching factors in the eventual 7-6 win.

Calhoun was the starting pitcher, going four innings before being relieved by Kevin Justice, who picked up the win.

Sky Valenzuela pitched a perfect eighth before Zach Sneed closed out the game, picking up his first save of the season.

“I was very impressed with our bullpen.” Bonneau said. “They came up big and really stepped up when we needed them the most.”

In the first game of the doubleheader Saturday, the Wildcats ran out of the gates early with a 4-0 lead and never relinquished it, topping UCO 7-5.

In the nightcap, ACU got out to a 12-7 lead going into the sixth. But the bullpen let that lead slip away as the Bronchos scored four runs in the fifth and eighth, which propelled them to victory.

The Wildcats (19-14, 12-9) currently sit in seventh place in the LSC South with 12 conference games remaining. They will be back in action Friday as they take on Eastern New Mexico.