Baseball Loses Four to ACU
February 10, 2009
ABILENE, Texas - Southwestern Oklahoma State University put a couple of hard scares into Abilene Christian but were unable to scratch the win column losing four baseball games in a series played in Abilene, Texas. ACU, the nation's 24th rated NCAA Division II team, won by scores of 8-1, 3-2, 2-1 and 15-5. The wins allowed the Wildcats to grow their unbeaten streak against SWOSU to 18 straight games.
SWOSU, now 4-6 on the year, will play host to Texas A&M-Kingsville in a four-game series beginning Friday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. The two teams will resume play Saturday with a second doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
SWOSU's best efforts against the Wildcats came on Friday in a pair of one-run games, including the first one that was decided in the game's last at bat. ACU's Davis Paige was plunked by a pitch by SWOSU reliever Aldemar Betrian with the bases loaded to allow the Wildcats to squeeze across the dubious winning run in a 2-victory in the second game.
The mistake ruined what had been a spectacular effort by Betrian who had kept the Wildcats scoreless through three innings after taking over for starter Scott Branch in the fifth. Branch was equally effective scattering six hits in four and one-third inning and allowing just one earned run while striking out three.
SWOSU's only run in the game was a leadoff homer by Nelson Espinal to start the game. The Bulldogs struggled offensively getting just two hits and striking out 13 times against ACU starter Preston Vancil in eight innings.
In the first game Friday that ended with a 3-2 ACU win, the Wildcats took advantage of a fielding error by SWOSU to score twice in the third and then hang on for the win.
Chris Morrison pitched well for SWOSU in the loss allowing just seven hits in six innings of work. He allowed three runs, two of which were earned, struck out two and walked one.
SWOSU again did its only scoring in the first when Travis Rose blasted a two-run homer that scored Espinal who opened with a leadoff double. Rose is among the early leaders in the LSC with a .484 batting average.
In Thursday's 8-1 loss, SWOSU's success was limited by ACU pitcher Matt Sullivan who struck out 11 batters and allowed just four hits through eight innings. SWOSU's lone run came courtesy of a seventh-inning double by Rose that scored Morrison.
Saturday's 15-5 game, SWOSU hurt their chances by committing six errors in the field. Still, though the Bulldogs had gotten within reach when they scored three unearned runs in the fifth to tie the game at 5-5. ACU quickly responded scoring 10 runs over the next three innings and ending the game in run-rule fashion after seven innings.