The Wildcats (24-11, 9-6) dropped their second series in a row losing the weekend series two games to one this weekend against Grand Canyon University (20-15, 11-7).
The Wildcats, coming into the weekend off an unfortunate loss to TCU, were looking to turn things around in a series that would be the first appearance from the Lopes in Abilene since 2014.
In game one on friday night, both teams came out firing with GCU scoring two in the top of the first and ACU grabbing three off of an RBI single from senior outfielder Grayson Tatrow, followed by a home run from senior catcher Tanner Tweedt.
GCU would tie it up in the second and eventually take the lead in third on a two run homerun to go up 5-3
In the bottom of the third, back-to-back solo shots from Tatrow and Tweedt would tie the game up once again.
GCU kept up the scoring in the fourth grabbing three more in the top half. In the bottom half ACU would get their first three batters on to load the bases with no outs. Junior outfielder Logan Britt would bring in one on a sac fly. One pitching change and a walked batter later, Tweedt would stay hot driving in two more runs on a single into center, tying up the game again. The Wildcats tallied on two more to end the inning on a pair of throwing errors.
Just like that eighteen runs had been scored through four innings.
Senior left-hander Adam Stephenson would come into the game in the fifth and go three up three down and hold GCU to their first scoreless inning of the day. Britt and Tatrow would get on in the fifth and set it up for Tweedt to smash his third home run of the night and add three more for the Wildcats.
ACU would keep on adding to the lead in the sixth scoring three, including another RBI from Tweedt to give him nine on the night.
That would be the last seen from the Wildcat offense and GCU would go on to score four more before being shut down in the ninth by redshirt-senior right-hander Zach Smith giving ACU the 16-14 game one win.
In game two, the Lopes got it started early scoring one in the first and second taking a 2-0 lead against senior right-hander Breck Eichelberger.
The Wildcats would grab one of those runs back in the second from a solo homerun from Tatrow giving him his 38th career home run, the most from any ACU player.
GCU added on to the lead, scoring two runs in both the third and fourth to give the Lopes a five run lead. Tweedt would bring home one in the fourth but GCU would keep their foot on the pedal.
Grand Canyon would grab two more in the sixth and would run away with it in the eighth scoring six more, ending the game an inning early and tying up the series at one game a piece.
In game three, just like the first two of the weekend, Grand Canyon would get up early scoring one in the first and second to take a 2-0 lead after two.
In the bottom of the third, the Wildcats would get it going with a single from sophomore infielder Jack Nielsen followed by a walk from junior infielder Crew Parke. A sac fly from junior infielder Garrett Williams would score one to make it a 2-1 ballgame.
After another run from GCU in the fourth, ACU would grab it back in the fifth after Nielsen would double into right followed by an RBI double from Williams.
A scoreless sixth led to ACU tying it up in the seventh on a Garrett Williams infield fly. The Wildcats and Lopes would trade runs in the eighth with GCU scoring on a wild pitch and Britt hitting a solo home run into left.
ACU would get the winning run 90 feet from the plate in the ninth but fall just short as junior outfielder Miller Ladusau would go down on strikes and send the game into extras.
In the bottom of the eleventh ACU would have another chance to end the game with the bases loaded but once again, Ladusau would go down on strikes. The Lopes took advantage this time scoring two in the twelfth to steal the game and the series for GCU.
The Wildcats have now lost five of their last seven and find themselves third in the Western Athletic Conference Standings.
ACU will head to Austin next to face the 14th ranked Longhorns in a mid-week matchup. The game will be at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field with the game streaming live on The Longhorn Network and the ACU Sports Network.
Quotes will be added following head coach Rick McCarty’s next press conference.
