The Wildcats (25-14, 10-8) dropped yet another series this weekend falling two games to one against UTRGV (22-16, 9-9).
The Wildcats have now lost six of their last eight and have lost three overall series in a row. The team was coming off of a rough 20-0 loss earlier in the week to the Texas Longhorns.
Due to potential inclement weather, the original series finale scheduled for Sunday afternoon was moved to Saturday for a doubleheader.
In game one, UTRGV would put up a run on the board off of a double, making it the fifth straight game the Wildcats have allowed a run in the first inning.
In the top of the second, junior outfielder Eric Martin and freshman catcher Maddox Miesse would get into scoring position with two outs. Senior outfielder Garrett Williams would knock down a single into right bringing home both Martin and Miesse and giving ACU a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the third, the Vaqueros evened up the game at two runs a piece.
The game would slow down after the third with both teams having opportunities to jump ahead but could never capitalize and the score would remain at two runs each heading into the final inning.
Leading off the ninth, the Wildcats would get the go-ahead run on after a five pitch walk to sophomore infielder Jack Nielsen. With freshman outfielder Holden Rook coming in to pinch run for Nielsen, Williams would get on with another five pitch walk to have two on and one out.
After the second out, junior infielder Logan Britt would step up to the plate and deliver on a full count and smash a bases clearing triple into right and give the Wildcats a 4-2 lead. Senior left-hander Adam Stephenson would grab three straight outs closing out the game and sealing the victory for the Wildcats.
In the first of two games on Saturday, senior right-hander Breck Eichelberger would be on the mound for the Wildcats and deliver two scoreless innings before allowing a single run in the third, fourth, and fifth, eventually being pulled in the fifth.
The ACU offense was not helping out Eichelberger either as the Wildcats only managed to grab two hits as a team through the first five innings of the game. In the top of the sixth, senior outfielder Grayson Tatrow would hit a solo homerun and cut into the Vaqueros lead.
However, UTRGV would hit back with a leadoff home run of their own to start off the bottom half of the sixth tallying on another run off an infield error from the Wildcats making it a 5-1 game.
The Vaqueros would add on two more in the next inning from another error from the Wildcat defense and take a six-run lead into the last two innings of play.
Both teams would trade homers in the eight with Britt hitting his tenth of the season.
ACU would make one last push in the ninth scoring two more but fall short in an 8-4 loss in the top of the doubleheader.
The final game of the series would be the definition of a pitchers duel as both teams would not score a run in regulation as junior right-hander Austin Glaze, junior left-hander Max Huffling, and junior right-hander Blake Anderson would combine for nine scoreless innings allowing only two hits.
With the game going into extras, junior outfielder Miller Ladusau would start the inning off with a single into left. Miesse would then drive in the first run of the game with a double down the left-field line. However, three straight outs would leave the freshman stranded at second with the Vaqueros up to bat.
The tying run would get on after an eight-pitch walk and after a sac-bunt to advance the runner, UTRGV would tie up the game 1-1 with two outs and runners on first and second. Redshirt-senior Zach Smith would come into the game and with a full count give up the game winning single and the Vaqueros the 2-1 victory.
The Wildcats will head back home for a mid-week matchup against the 14th ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders. The game will be at 6:05 p.m. on Tuesday at Crucher Scott Field with the game streaming live on ESPN+.
Quotes will be added following head coach Rick McCarty’s next press conference.
