The Wildcats experienced their first winning weekend of the season in the annual ACU/Whitten Inn Classic this past week. The team went 2-1, the two wins against Lone Star Conference foes Eastern New Mexico University and Cameron University, and scored 31 runs over the three games.
“Winning two out of three gives us confidence going into this week,” said head coach Britt Bonneau.
The ‘Cats improved their overall record to 9-7 and are now 6-5 at Crutcher Scott Field.
Senior starting pitcher Carter Hahn has been the definition of consistent. In the weekend finale on Saturday, he fanned five Cameron batters through 7.1 innings which helped ACU earn an 8-2 win. He remains undefeated (3-0) this season.
Bonneau has been impressed with Hahn.
“He’s pitched against some really good teams and has done well,” he said. “He gets better as the game goes on.”
Hahn left in the eighth after allowing three hits and a run, but reliever Brady Rodriguez took over and retired the Aggies No. 3 batter with an inning-ending double play.
Rodriguez gave up a run in the ninth but recovered with a strikeout to end the game.
The Wildcat offense scored all eight of its runs between the fourth and sixth innings.
Outfielder Kyle Conwell wrapped up a good weekend with a one-hit performance on Saturday. He started the scoring in the fourth with a one-out single. The hit was followed by a walk to Ryan Luckie.
Three-straight hits followed Luckie including a run-scoring single from Heath Beasley and a two-run double by infielder Seth Spivey to make it a 3-0 game. Spivey advanced to third on a Tyler Eager single and infielder Kyle Giusti hit a sacrifice fly to center to drive him in.
Utility-man Travis Schuetze went 1 for 5, extending his hitting streak to eight games.
The squad began the classic with a 15-5 seven-inning loss to Tarleton State University Thursday night. The game was cut short due to the 10-run rule.
“What you saw in game one is we got off to a bad start and that steam rolled into getting your tail kicked,” Bonneau said.
The Texans scored in all but one inning and broke the contest open when it brought 11 men to the plate in a six-run third.
The ‘Cats were shutout until the fourth when Chuck Duarte singled in catcher Rodge Macy.
The team recovered from the blowout to dismantle Eastern on Friday. ACU pounded the Greyhounds 18-3 behind a leadoff home run by Spivey, the first bomb of the season for ACU.
“That was huge after what happened the night before,” Bonneau said.
The Wildcats strung together 23 hits on the night, 11 of them for extra bases including two triples and eight doubles. Every ‘Cat in the lineup reached base at least once and Giusti went 4-for-4 with three runs and four RBI.
Even the bottom third of the batting order could not be stopped. They contributed nine hits and nine runs. No. 7 hitter Conwell whacked three doubles and also crossed the plate three times.
Schuetze, the team’s leading hitter, went 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Macy scored two runs and drove in one in the cleanup spot.
Although he did not need all 18 runs, starter Jordon Herrera (4-1) had plenty of offensive support. Herrera struck out six in 7.0 innings and allowed three runs.
The team hosts a three-game series against Bellarmine University of the Great Lakes Valley Conference this week. Games will start at 7 p.m. Thursday, 7 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday.
