Kats slam ACU 11-7 to advance at WAC tourney

Wednesday, May 24

Mesa, Ariz.

6:00 PM

34-22

Abilene Christian

34-23

Abilene Christian

Sam Houston

Justin Wishkoski hits a walk-off grand slam against ACU at the WAC Tournament

Kats slam ACU 11-7 to advance at WAC tourney

5/24/2023 10:27:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

MESA, Ariz. — Wishes do come true.

Justin Wishkoski blasted a field grand slam in the 11^th inning to lift Sam Houston to an 11-7 walk-off victory over Abilene Christian in the opening round of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament at Hohokam Stadium on Wednesday.

The second-seeded Bearkats (34-22) will face third-seeded Utah Valley in the winner's bracket Thursday at 4 p.m. The Wolverines defeated Seattle 16-6 in eight innings on Wednesday.

This marks the first time Sam Houston has won a league tournament opening round game since the Kats knocked off Stephen F. Austin 13-1 en route to winning the Southland Conference Tournament in 2017 to earn a spot in the NCAA Lubbock Regional. The Bearkats defeated 15^th ranked Arizona and No. 5 Texas Tech twice to advance to the program's first-ever Super Regional appearance that season.

Wednesday's game was tied at 7 at the end of regulation and neither team could get anything going at the plate when it headed into extra innings.

First-team All-WAC reliever Chandler David shut down the Wildcats' offense in the eighth, ninth, 10^thand 11^th innings to give Sam Houston a chance to walk it off, and Wishkoski would come through in a big way.

Easton Loyd led off the bottom of the 11^th with a walk and Jake Tatom ripped a double down the right field line to put two runners in scoring position. All-WAC first-team center fielder Joe Redfield was intentionally walked to load the bases.

ACU brought in four infielders to try to cut the Kats off at home plate on a ground ball, but on the first pitch, Wishkoski showed why he was also a first-team All-WAC selection when he laced a grand slam down the left field line for his fifth RBI of the game to end it.

Tyler Davis, Redfield, Loyd also drove in runs for the Bearkats. Davis earned the victory by throwing four no-hit innings to improve to 5-0 on the season.