A game that started all ACU ended all DBU as the Wildcats’ early 3-0 lead was ultimately stumped, losing in a 16-4 run-rule to Dallas Baptist Tuesday night at the Crutch.
The big storyline of the game was pitching.
Collin Adams, junior left-hander from Lebanon, Tennessee, opened the game and went two shutout innings for the Wildcats. Baron Mannis, true freshman left-hander from Argyle, followed, going another two shutout innings with three strikeouts.
After that, it was downhill for the Wildcats. DBU went on to score four runs in the third against David Jeon, senior right-hander from Coppell, who did not record an out in his outing. Four of the next six guys out to the pen for ACU gave up a run, using nine pitchers in eight innings.
“We’re still searching for consistency,” head coach Rick McCarty said. “You bump guys up into bigger situations, and then you’re just not over the plate, and the inning blows up.”
Despite the struggling pitching, ACU did have some moments offensively.
Bouncing out to an early lead in the first inning, highlighted by JT Thompson’s two-RBI single and freshman outfielder from Heath, Brady Ladusau’s RBI single to left, the early traffic gave an early chance for ACU to take control.
“I honestly don’t think the score is indicative of the score,” McCarty said. “If we get a couple hits there with all that traffic early, then we’re probably in a fistfight.”
Continuing to stay hot and on an eight-game hitting streak, JT Thompson, senior infielder from Wylie, has been a spark this season, now batting .328.
“He’s just putting together good at-bats,” McCarty said. “When you’re doing that, success normally follows.”
Now the focus shifts back to conference play as the Wildcats are set for a three-game series against Sacramento State, which they played in the Western Athletic Conference championship game last season and lost. Sacramento State has been in a similar circumstance as ACU, bouncing off elite success with a now around .500 record, ACU at 21-23 and CSUS at 21-25.
McCarty said he looks to “wash this one off” and regroup before facing a lot of in-conference games, but said at the end of the day, the loss was a learning experience.
“They got better tonight,” McCarty said. “I don’t love how we got better… If we look back at the end of the week and we’re 3-1, I’ll take it.”
