HUNTSVILLE — Sam Houston could not recapture that late-inning magic in an 8-7 loss to Abilene Christian to close out a three-game Western Athletic Conference series at Don Sanders Stadium on Sunday.
The Bearkats (20-13, 12-3 WAC) won the first two games to clinch the series Saturday. Sam Houston topped the Wildcats (23-8, 8-4) 5-1 in game one of a doubleheader then
Jake Tatom hit a walk-off two-run double for a 4-3 victory in game two.
The Kats trailed 8-6 in the ninth inning when
Justin Wishkoski and
Tyler Davis both singled to begin the frame. Wishkoski scored on a double-play ball, but ACU got a strikeout to end the game.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 7-0 lead through the first two and a half innings before Sam Houston finally got cooking offensively.
Clayton Chadwick drew a lead-off walk in the bottom of the third and scored when
Joe Redfield crushed a home run to right center field. Wishkoski singled through the left side and stole second base to setup an RBI double by Davis to cut the lead to 7-3.
Tatom laced an RBI double down the right field line in the fourth, and
Joe Redfield singled down the right field line to plate another run in the frame. Davis made it 7-6 in the seventh when he drove in Redfield on a fielder's choice, but ACU scored what proved to be the game-winning run in the eighth.
Sam Houston will travel to Houston on Tuesday for game two of the Don Sanders Cup at 6:30 p.m.
