Redshirt senior pitcher Drew Hanson got the start on Wednesday when the Wildcats matched up against the Eastern Michigan Eagles. ACU was looking for revenge after a loss to UT Arlington the night prior.
The Eagles came out swinging scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. The Wildcats tried to answer after a base hit from redshirt senior catcher Luis Trevino to center-field, but ACU left Trevino stranded.
Senior pitcher David Ruot replaced Hanson very early in the game, coming in relief in the top of the second inning with a runner on second and two outs. Ruot got into trouble in the third inning when the bases were loaded, but answered the call when the Wildcats needed him. The Eagles scored another run, but Ruot minimized the damage with a strikeout when the bases were loaded.
In the fourth inning, junior pitcher Bryant Jordan came in relief for Ruot when runners were on first and second base. Another run from the Eagles came in the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the inning, however, senior outfielder/pitcher Derek Scott came up big with a two-run home run making the score 4-2 in favor of the Eagles.
The Wildcats closed the gap, once again, in the fifth inning with another RBI from Derek Scott on a sacrifice fly-out. It was a one-run game after five innings.
The Eagles came back with two runs of their own in the top of the sixth inning, extending the lead for Eastern Michigan, 6-3. Sophomore pitcher Logan Patterson came into the game to end the inning on a strikeout.
Senior infielder Robert Salazar scored in the bottom half of the inning off of a RBI single from Riley Donahue that made the game 6-4.
The Wildcats came on the field in the seventh inning and retired all three batters faced with two strikeouts from Patterson. Senior infielder Dalon Farkas earned a single to start the bottom of the seventh inning off. Farkas advanced to third when the Eagles failed on a pick off attempt, but the Wildcats fail to bring in Farkas for a run.
The Wildcats stranded the Eagles at third in the eighth inning keeping the game 6-4 going into the bottom of the eighth inning.
Junior catcher Lane Bourland got onto first with a two-out walk. From there, Bourland scored off a double from Dalton Dunn to the right-center gap. The Wildcats had the tying run in scoring position, but failed to take advantage.
The final score of the game was 6-5.
The Wildcats have another home 3-game series at home against the Hartford Hawks on the weekend.
