G1 BOX SCORE | G2 BOX SCORE | G3 BOX SCORE
The Wildcats started conference season off on a positive note, taking two of three games against Nicholls State over the weekend. ACU moves to 8-4 and 2-1 in conference after their first road series of the season.
Junior third baseman Aaron Draper carried the Wildcats offensively. Draper went 6-for-15 (.400) with five runs batted in and a home run in all three games. Junior second baseman Russell Crippen recorded ACU’s second home run of the season with a long ball in game one. He finished 3-for-9 with an RBI.
The Wildcats grabbed their conference opener in game one, 5-4. Draper and Crippen got ACU on the board in the second and third inning with solo shots to make it 2-0. Draper would strike again in the fourth inning with a bases-loaded double to score two. The Wildcats added another run to go up 5-0.
Senior Kyle Carroll picked up his second win of the season with 6.1 innings while giving up six hits and four runs, all unearned. He also added five strikeouts, giving him 16 in 18.1 innings pitched for the season.
In game two, the Colonels evened the series with a 4-2 win by scoring two-runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Nicholls State took a 2-0 lead into the eighth inning before the ACU offense came alive. With two outs, senior catcher Alex Copeland got on with a single and was driven in by Draper. Freshman centerfielder Hunter Markwardt drove in another run to tie things up at 2-2 after a throwing error at third base led to a run for ACU. The Colonels responded with an RBI-double and an RBI-single in the bottom of the eighth to grab the win.
Senior Garrett deMeyere got the no decision in the start after going 5.1 innings and giving up nine hits and two earned runs.
Entering game three with the series tied, the Wildcats grabbed a 3-1 lead entering the fifth inning. On a 2-1 count, junior designated hitter Austin Call hit cleared the bases with a bases loaded RBI-double down the left field line for three runs. ACU added runs in the seventh and eighth innings to make it 5-2, while Nicholls State scored again to make it a final 5-3.
Senior Aaron Mason moved to 3-0 on the season while giving up six hits, two earned runs and striking out a pair in 5.0 innings of work. Senior closer Nick Palacios grabbed two saves over the weekend, bringing his season total to four, including a six-out save in game one while striking out three.
