The Wildcat baseball team swept a weekend series against East Central University on Friday and Saturday at Crutcher Scott Field , outscoring the Tigers 13-8 for the series.
After dropping the first two games of the season against Texas A&M Kingsville, Head Coach Britt Bonneau’s ‘Cats rallied to win the next four.
“I thought we pitched real well in the series,” Bonneau said. “We’re not there yet with our hitting, but this is a team that can hit, it’s just going to take some time to get disciplined.”
In the first game, ACU and ECU engaged in a tight pitcher’s duel until Wildcat slugger Will Calhoun ripped a two-out, two-run double to break a 1-1 tie. Junior pitcher Brent Bray picked up the win, giving up just two hits in two innings of relief work. The Wildcats took the contest 4-1.
In game two, the Wildcats scored three runs in the first four innings and held on to edge out the Tigers 3-2. Senior pitcher Zach Sneed came within one out of a complete game, tossing 6.2 innings of four-hit baseball. He struck out two Tigers to earn his first win of the season.
The Wildcat bats started the third game cold. However, the Wildcats still scored the first run of the game. Designated hitter Cameron Watten drew a second inning walk, advanced on a balk, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a J.R. Roland ground out. The ‘Cats did not record a hit until the fifth inning.
The Tigers took a 2-1 lead with runs in the fourth and fifth innings, but the Wildcats came right back when shortstop Reed Watson cracked a single to right-center field. Right fielder Cameron Bankston followed with a bloop single to right field. Watson scored on a throwing error. The Wildcats tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning and added one run in the seventh.
ECU came back in the top of the ninth to tie the game, but the Wildcats prevailed in the bottom of the ninth on a walk-off wild pitch, 6-5.
After the game, Calhoun said the series sweep has his team headed in the right direction.
“We’re on the right track,” Calhoun said. “We have a lot of work to do, but it’s early, we’ll figure some things out.”
