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Contributed by: ACU Athletic Media Relations
ABILENE - After suffering a series of close defeats over the past two weeks, Abilene Christian's baseball team finally got back in the win column Tuesday night, beating a solid Dallas Baptist team, 3-2, on walk-off bunt single by junior Aaron Draper at Crutcher Scott Field.
The victory snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Wildcats, in which all but two games were decided by fewer than three runs, lifting their season record to 10-14. The Patriots - who came in averaging 7.6 runs per game - fell to 15-9 with the loss.
When Dallas Baptist tied the score at 2-2 on a disputed bases-loaded hit by pitch with one out in the ninth, it felt as if the momentum had once again shifted in the opponents' favor. That was until three pitches later when right fielder David Martinelli - who at this point was 3-for-4 - lined into a 6-4 double play as middle infielders Mark Pearson and Gunny Evans caught Tim Millard several feet off second base.
Reliever Zach Kornely (1-0) then got No. 3 batter Justin Wall looking at a called strike three on a 2-2 pitch in earning his first victory of the season.
Momentum continued to build for the Wildcats entering their half of the ninth as pinch hitter Alex Check hit a leadoff single up the middle vs. reliever Gavin Fritz (1-1), who entered tonight with a 0.57 ERA through 10 appearances and 15.2 innings pitched.
Check was lifted for pinch runner Willie Harris, and on the next play senior catcher Aaron Copeland dropped a bunt up the right side to advance Harris, who later hustled to third base on a wild pitch.
Pearson nearly ended the game with a shot down the third-base line, but Millard got enough of his glove on the ball to prevent Harris from scoring. Draper then bunted the first pitch he saw just to the right of the mound, and while Fritz got to the ball in time there was no chance of him getting Harris at the plate.
Of ACU's six hits, three of them were in the ninth inning as the Wildcats primarily relied on starter Nate Cole and their defense to carry them though most of the game. Cole lasted 7.0 innings (102 pitches) and struck out the side in his final frame of work to finish with 10 punchouts and lower his season ERA to 2.38.
Cole escaped a first-inning jam with one of two double plays hit into tonight by cleanup batter Darick Hall (.344-11 HR-32 RBI), and later he helped his cause with a pick off of Martinelli at second base with one out in the sixth inning. Earlier that frame, Draper made a tremendous running catch deep in foul territory near the first-base home dugout.
Cole also was hurt by his pickoff move, as in the third inning Dallas Baptist took a 1-0 lead on his errant throw to first base trying to get Martinelli. Millard scored on the play from third base.
ACU went ahead two innings later as a result of some poor play by the Patriots. Third baseman Austin Call was hit by a pitch by starter Jordan Martinson. Copeland followed with a single to left field and Pearson bunted both runners over 90 feet.
Draper then grounded one back to Connor Hall, but the second baseman couldn't get a grip on the ball, allowing Call to score. On the next play outfielder Hunter Markwardt delivered a high-chopper behind the mound for a fielder's choice RBI as Pearson beat the throw home.
ACU's bullpen took over in the eighth starting with freshman Joseph Goetze, who induced Hall's second double play after surrendering a single to Martinelli and hitting Wall with a pitch. Goetze walked the next batter and was replaced by Kornely, who ended the threat by striking out shortstop Camden Duzenack with runners at first and second.
Martinson was followed to the mound by Dalton Higgins. He gave up one hit in 2.0 scoreless innings of work with one strikeout.
Fritz pitched a 1-2-3 eighth for DBU before encountering trouble in the ninth.
The Wildcats resume their four-game homestand Friday with a 6 p.m. game vs. Lamar. ACU's three-game set against the Cardinals is a non-conference series.
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ABILENE - After suffering a series of close defeats over the past two weeks, Abilene Christian's baseball team finally got back in the win column Tuesday night, beating a solid Dallas Baptist team, 3-2, on walk-off bunt single by junior Aaron Draper at Crutcher Scott Field.
The victory snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Wildcats, in which all but two games were decided by fewer than three runs, lifting their season record to 10-14. The Patriots - who came in averaging 7.6 runs per game - fell to 15-9 with the loss.
When Dallas Baptist tied the score at 2-2 on a disputed bases-loaded hit by pitch with one out in the ninth, it felt as if the momentum had once again shifted in the opponents' favor. That was until three pitches later when right fielder David Martinelli - who at this point was 3-for-4 - lined into a 6-4 double play as middle infielders Mark Pearson and Gunny Evans caught Tim Millard several feet off second base.
Reliever Zach Kornely (1-0) then got No. 3 batter Justin Wall looking at a called strike three on a 2-2 pitch in earning his first victory of the season.
Momentum continued to build for the Wildcats entering their half of the ninth as pinch hitter Alex Check hit a leadoff single up the middle vs. reliever Gavin Fritz (1-1), who entered tonight with a 0.57 ERA through 10 appearances and 15.2 innings pitched.
Check was lifted for pinch runner Willie Harris, and on the next play senior catcher Aaron Copeland dropped a bunt up the right side to advance Harris, who later hustled to third base on a wild pitch.
Pearson nearly ended the game with a shot down the third-base line, but Millard got enough of his glove on the ball to prevent Harris from scoring. Draper then bunted the first pitch he saw just to the right of the mound, and while Fritz got to the ball in time there was no chance of him getting Harris at the plate.
Of ACU's six hits, three of them were in the ninth inning as the Wildcats primarily relied on starter Nate Cole and their defense to carry them though most of the game. Cole lasted 7.0 innings (102 pitches) and struck out the side in his final frame of work to finish with 10 punchouts and lower his season ERA to 2.38.
Cole escaped a first-inning jam with one of two double plays hit into tonight by cleanup batter Darick Hall (.344-11 HR-32 RBI), and later he helped his cause with a pick off of Martinelli at second base with one out in the sixth inning. Earlier that frame, Draper made a tremendous running catch deep in foul territory near the first-base home dugout.
Cole also was hurt by his pickoff move, as in the third inning Dallas Baptist took a 1-0 lead on his errant throw to first base trying to get Martinelli. Millard scored on the play from third base.
ACU went ahead two innings later as a result of some poor play by the Patriots. Third baseman Austin Call was hit by a pitch by starter Jordan Martinson. Copeland followed with a single to left field and Pearson bunted both runners over 90 feet.
Draper then grounded one back to Connor Hall, but the second baseman couldn't get a grip on the ball, allowing Call to score. On the next play outfielder Hunter Markwardt delivered a high-chopper behind the mound for a fielder's choice RBI as Pearson beat the throw home.
ACU's bullpen took over in the eighth starting with freshman Joseph Goetze, who induced Hall's second double play after surrendering a single to Martinelli and hitting Wall with a pitch. Goetze walked the next batter and was replaced by Kornely, who ended the threat by striking out shortstop Camden Duzenack with runners at first and second.
Martinson was followed to the mound by Dalton Higgins. He gave up one hit in 2.0 scoreless innings of work with one strikeout.
Fritz pitched a 1-2-3 eighth for DBU before encountering trouble in the ninth.
The Wildcats resume their four-game homestand Friday with a 6 p.m. game vs. Lamar. ACU's three-game set against the Cardinals is a non-conference series.
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