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Contributed by Lance Fleming, ACU Associate Director of Athletics for Media Relations
HUNTSVILLE - Sam Houston State scored three runs in the seventh and one in the eighth Friday night to spoil an upset by the ACU Wildcats in a 6-3 Bearkat win in Southland Conference baseball action at Don Sanders Stadium.
The Wildcats led 3-2 going to the bottom half of the seventh, thanks to a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, including a solo home run by Russell Crippen. But the Bearkats took advantage of some spotty pitching and fielding by the Wildcats to regain a lead they would not relinquish.
ACU trailed 2-1 going to the sixth inning before Crippen blasted a solo home run to right field to tie the game at 2-2. One out later, Braxton Wilks doubled and then came home on a double by freshman Derek Scott, giving the Wildcats a 3-2 lead.
But the wheels fell off for the Wildcats in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Relief pitcher Nate Cole retired the first batter of the seventh before hitting Robie Rojas and Taylor Beene back-to-back. Both runners then advanced on a wild pitch before Cole struck out Andrew Fregia for the second out.
The Wildcats then elected to intentionally walk leadoff hitter Bryce Johnson to load the bases and set up a force out at any base. It appeared as though Cole would get out of the inning unscathed when pinch-hitter Matt Broadbent hit a slow three-hopper back to the mound that should have been the third out. But Cole mishandled the ball on what was generously ruled a hit, driving in Rojas with the tying run. With the bases still loaded, Beene scored on a passed ball to give the Bearkats a 4-3 lead. Johnson scored on another passed ball to make it 5-3.
ACU had a golden opportunity to tie the game in the eighth when catcher Alex Copeland led off with a single and went to second on a walk by Scott. David Ruot then grounded out, but the runners advanced to scoring position, giving the Wildcats the tying run at second base with one out.
But Copeland was thrown out at home on a chopping ball to third and Aaron Draper grounded back to the pitcher to end the threat and the Wildcats still trailed 5-3 going to the bottom half of the inning. The Bearkats tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning on an RBI single by Rojas before Greg Belton pitched a perfect ninth inning for his seventh save.
The Wildcats (13-22 overall and 5-11 in the Southland) and Bearkats (23-16 and 15-4) will continue their three-game set Saturday at 2 p.m.
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