Stephen F. Austin
Abilene Christian
Lumberjacks Split Saturday Doubleheader
4/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Stephen F. Austin 7, Abilene Christian 6
Jaycees Field · Nacogdoches, Texas
Records: SFA (14-28, 8-13 SLC); ACU (9-30, 7-12 SLC)
Abilene Christian 6, Stephen F. Austin 2
Jaycees Field · Nacogdoches, Texas
Records: SFA (14-29, 8-14 SLC); ACU (10-30, 8-12 SLC)
Up Next: vs. Abilene Christian · Sunday, April 26 · 1 p.m.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- The eighth inning controlled the fate of the Lumberjacks Saturday as Stephen F. Austin split a Saturday doubleheader with Abilene Christian. SFA rallied in the eighth to win game one 7-6, only to see ACU score six in the eighth to win game two 6-2.
With the split, SFA is now 14-29 on the season and 8-14 in Southland Conference play as they continue to fight to qualify for the SLC Championship in Sugar Land. The `Jacks remain 10th in the standings, trailing A&M-Corpus Christi and Lamar for the final spot.
As has been the case in recent games, SFA fell behind once again in game one, allowing an ACU run in the top of the first inning, giving the Wildcats the 1-0 lead.
The Lumberjacks looked poised to answer in the bottom of the second as Kyle Thornell ripped his eighth triple of the year to lead off the second, moving him into a tie for first in the NCAA this season. But he couldn't advance the final 90 feet as three-straight SFA infield outs stranded him at third.
SFA's bats then went silent, going without a hit for four-straight innings while ACU added four more runs, only one of which was earned, to take the commanding 5-0 lead.
The Lumberjack bats came alive in the bottom of the seventh as five-straight hits allowed four runs to cross the plate. Zach Valenzuela started off the campaign with an RBI single to score Thornell, followed by a two RBI blast to the wall in right center by Tyler Boxwell. With the bases loaded, Conner Fikes drew a walk to bring Valenzuela home, trimming the SFA deficit to one at 5-4 after seven.
ACU added a run in the top of the eighth, leaving SFA facing a two-run deficit in its half of the inning. After leadoff hits by Thornell and Garrett McMullen, Dan O'Neill brought Thornell home with a fielders choice RBI. Boxwell then struck again, tying the game with an RBI single to right, advancing Valenzuela to third. Will Vest then laid down a perfect bunt, allowing Valenzuela to score the go-ahead run.
Tyler Wiedenfeld then came on to record his seventh save of the season as SFA completed the late inning rally. Josh Keith earned the victory for the `Jacks, allowing a run on two hits in 1.1 innings. Starter Cameron Gann took the no decision in his final start at Jaycees Field, allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits with eight strikeouts through 6.2 innings of work.
Thornell continued his hot play in SLC play, going 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored with Boxwell, Valenzuela and McMullen each recording a pair of hits in the game one win as Boxwell drove in three runs for the `Jacks.
Game two of the doubleheader saw one of the most dominant pitching performances through seven innings that SFA had seen in quite a while. Starter Dillon Mangham, making his final Jaycees Field start as well, struck out 14 Wildcats in 7.1 innings, setting the SFA single game record for strikeouts since the program was reinstated in 2006.
Mangham and the `Jacks retired 17-straight ACU batters from the second through the seventh innings, during which SFA recorded a pair of runs. Fikes blasted a solo home run in the top of the first inning to put the `Jacks on the board, followed by an RBI single in the fourth by O'Neill, putting SFA on top 2-0.
But while the eighth inning was fortuitous for SFA in the first game, the tables turned in the second. Back-to-back doubles to lead off the inning for ACU opened the floodgates as the Wildcats scored six runs on six hits, squandering the impressive performance by Mangham. SFA was unable to answer, dropping the second game by the 6-2 margin.
On the day, Thornell finished 3-for-6 with three runs scored to lead SFA, including going 1-for-3 in game two. Five other Lumberjacks scattered the six hits as ACU pitcher Thomas Altimont went the distance, allowing two runs on six hits with 10 strikeouts on 133 pitches.
The 2015 home schedule wraps up Sunday afternoon in the series finale between the Lumberjacks and Wildcats. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. as Sunday will be SFA's Senior Day with seniors Cameron Gann, Josh Keith, Dillon Mangham, Dan O'Neill and Tyler Wiedenfeld being honored pregame.
-SFA-
