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ABILENE - For the third straight game, a win or loss came down to ACU's final at-bat. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, for the third straight game they weren't able to come up with a hit to secure at least a tie or a win.
On Saturday, Incarnate Word rallied from a 4-2 deficit with two outs in the eighth inning to knock off the Wildcats, 5-4, in the second game of the Southland Conference-opening series for both teams at Crutcher Scott Field. The loss - ACU's third straight after seven straight wins - drops the Wildcats to 7-7 overall and 0-2 in the league, while UIW improves to 11-6 and 2-0.
In Wednesday night's 5-4 loss to UT-Arlington, the Wildcats gave up the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth and then left the tying run at second base in the bottom of the ninth. In Friday's game against UIW, ACU left 16 men on base, including leaving them loaded three times. In the bottom of the 11th, ACU loaded the bases for pinch-hitter Myles Paschall, whose deep fly ball to center field was caught right up against the wall to end the game in a 6-3 loss.
And Saturday, the Wildcats loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth in a one-run game, but couldn't get at least one of them home to tie it.
KEY INNING
ACU led 4-2 going to the eighth inning, and reliever Keaton Brewer entered the game in place of starting pitcher Case Rolen, who was terrific for seven innings. Brewer gave up a leadoff walk to Eddy Gonzalez, who moved to second on a wild pitch. He stayed at second when David Anaya grounded out to shortstop, and went to third when Lee Thomas grounded out to second base.
But catcher Kyle Bergeron tripled to right-centerfield to cut ACU's lead to 4-3, and then then scored to tie the game 4-4 on Kyler Genenbacher's RBI single to right field. ACU got its first two men on base in the bottom of the eighth, but couldn't get either one of them to plate, sending the game to the ninth inning tied 4-4.
In the ninth, freshman reliever Ryan Kotulek - who got the final out of the eighth - hit the No. 9 man in the lineup - Tanner White with a 2-2 pitch before Mark Whitehead sent him to second with a sacrifice bunt. White went to third on a wild pitch, and that brought ACU's infield in as Gonzalez came to the plate. He popped out to Mark Pearson at shortstop for the second out of the inning, but Anaya doubled down the left field line on a 1-2 pitch to drive in White with the eventual game-winning run.
In the bottom of the ninth, Aaron Draper singled with one out to bring Dalon Farkas to the plate as the potential winning run. He just missed a 1-2 pitch from Ramon Salazar, hitting a high fly ball to left field that was caught just short of the wall by Gonzalez for the second out. Derek Scott then singled to right before Luis Trevino walked to load the bases. That brought the Wildcats' leading hitter, Russell Crippen, to the plate with the winning runs on base.
Crippen lofted an 0-1 pitch from Salazar down the right field line and Anthony Ramirez made a fine running catch near the fence in foul territory to end the game.
AT THE PLATE
* Trevino saw his hitting streak come to an end at 13 straight with his 0 for 3 day. He drove in a run with a third-inning groundout and reached base twice late in the game, but failed to get a hit for the first time this season.
* One day after his nine-game hitting streak was broken, Scott wasted little time starting a new one, hammering the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the first inning over the wall in right field for a home run, the second of his career and second of the season. He later added a pair of singles as part of a 3 for 5 day.
* The Wildcats had just seven hits Saturday and their team batting average dropped below .300, down to .294 after 14 games.
ON THE MOUND
*Case Rolen put together the best performance by an ACU starting pitcher this season as he went seven innings, allowing just four hits and two runs - both unearned - while walking just one and striking out eight in a no-decision.
* Three ACU pitchers combined to strike out nine UIW batters and walk just two Cardinals.
NEXT GAME
The Wildcats and Cardinals will wrap up their series Sunday at 1 p.m. at Crutcher Scott Field. The game will be broadcast on 98.1 FM .
More...
On Saturday, Incarnate Word rallied from a 4-2 deficit with two outs in the eighth inning to knock off the Wildcats, 5-4, in the second game of the Southland Conference-opening series for both teams at Crutcher Scott Field. The loss - ACU's third straight after seven straight wins - drops the Wildcats to 7-7 overall and 0-2 in the league, while UIW improves to 11-6 and 2-0.
In Wednesday night's 5-4 loss to UT-Arlington, the Wildcats gave up the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth and then left the tying run at second base in the bottom of the ninth. In Friday's game against UIW, ACU left 16 men on base, including leaving them loaded three times. In the bottom of the 11th, ACU loaded the bases for pinch-hitter Myles Paschall, whose deep fly ball to center field was caught right up against the wall to end the game in a 6-3 loss.
And Saturday, the Wildcats loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth in a one-run game, but couldn't get at least one of them home to tie it.
KEY INNING
ACU led 4-2 going to the eighth inning, and reliever Keaton Brewer entered the game in place of starting pitcher Case Rolen, who was terrific for seven innings. Brewer gave up a leadoff walk to Eddy Gonzalez, who moved to second on a wild pitch. He stayed at second when David Anaya grounded out to shortstop, and went to third when Lee Thomas grounded out to second base.
But catcher Kyle Bergeron tripled to right-centerfield to cut ACU's lead to 4-3, and then then scored to tie the game 4-4 on Kyler Genenbacher's RBI single to right field. ACU got its first two men on base in the bottom of the eighth, but couldn't get either one of them to plate, sending the game to the ninth inning tied 4-4.
In the ninth, freshman reliever Ryan Kotulek - who got the final out of the eighth - hit the No. 9 man in the lineup - Tanner White with a 2-2 pitch before Mark Whitehead sent him to second with a sacrifice bunt. White went to third on a wild pitch, and that brought ACU's infield in as Gonzalez came to the plate. He popped out to Mark Pearson at shortstop for the second out of the inning, but Anaya doubled down the left field line on a 1-2 pitch to drive in White with the eventual game-winning run.
In the bottom of the ninth, Aaron Draper singled with one out to bring Dalon Farkas to the plate as the potential winning run. He just missed a 1-2 pitch from Ramon Salazar, hitting a high fly ball to left field that was caught just short of the wall by Gonzalez for the second out. Derek Scott then singled to right before Luis Trevino walked to load the bases. That brought the Wildcats' leading hitter, Russell Crippen, to the plate with the winning runs on base.
Crippen lofted an 0-1 pitch from Salazar down the right field line and Anthony Ramirez made a fine running catch near the fence in foul territory to end the game.
AT THE PLATE
* Trevino saw his hitting streak come to an end at 13 straight with his 0 for 3 day. He drove in a run with a third-inning groundout and reached base twice late in the game, but failed to get a hit for the first time this season.
* One day after his nine-game hitting streak was broken, Scott wasted little time starting a new one, hammering the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the first inning over the wall in right field for a home run, the second of his career and second of the season. He later added a pair of singles as part of a 3 for 5 day.
* The Wildcats had just seven hits Saturday and their team batting average dropped below .300, down to .294 after 14 games.
ON THE MOUND
*Case Rolen put together the best performance by an ACU starting pitcher this season as he went seven innings, allowing just four hits and two runs - both unearned - while walking just one and striking out eight in a no-decision.
* Three ACU pitchers combined to strike out nine UIW batters and walk just two Cardinals.
NEXT GAME
The Wildcats and Cardinals will wrap up their series Sunday at 1 p.m. at Crutcher Scott Field. The game will be broadcast on 98.1 FM .
More...