After a strong performance against Quinnipiac in which the Wildcats picked up a three-game sweep, ACU looks to keep the hot streak going against a struggling Texas Southern University team.
ACU had strong performances from both pitching and offense and hopes to take charge against a team that lost its last game 15-3 to Houston Baptist. In all, the Wildcats are 3-0, and the Tigers are 1-3.
The Wildcats have a team ERA of 4.00 and a team batting average of .383. They are led offensively by sophomore transfer right fielder Caleb Kyle, who is hitting .600 in three games.
Also contributing offensively is junior infielder Robert Salazar, who is hitting .500 with two walks, and sophomore infielder Dalton Dunn, the savior of game two when he hit a game clinching home-run. He currently holds a .455 average with three walks.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Wildcats have only two players who have committed more than one error. This translates into pitching, with only three unearned runs so far this season. The team’s pitching has shown strong outings, with all of ACU’s starters going at least six innings and giving up three or fewer earned runs. It’s lead by a strong starting duo of senior Drew Hanson and junior Jonathan Nicholson, with junior Brock Barger rounding out the starting three.
The team has had a questionable bullpen but is strongly supported by senior reliever/closer Caleb Dougherty. The right-hander picked up a win in his lone relief appearance with a strong three-inning outing that consisted of six strikeouts and no walks.
Texas Southern has questions on all sides of the ball, but is led by senior outfielder Kamren Dukes, who is batting .500 in four games played, and junior outfielder Christian Sanchez, who has slugged two homers and driven in five RBIs in four games while having a solid .467 average.
The Tigers pitching has struggled so far with a team ERA of 7.68. The staff is lead by junior starter Aaron Solis, the only pitcher on the team with a win, who is sporting a 4.50 ERA through six innings. On the back end of the game for the Tigers is senior reliever Seth Oliver, who has appeared in three games and has a 2.70 ERA through 3.1 innings pitched.
The Wildcats start the series, barring weather, at 6 p.m. Friday at Crutcher Scott Field. The series continues with games on at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
