ABILENE, Texas – HBU junior righthander
Addison Russ recorded the team's first complete game of the season as the Huskies held off Abilene Christian, 3-2, in the Southland Conference series opener Friday night at Cutcher Scott Field.
Russ (5-2) allowed two runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and a walk for HBU (15-14, 6-4 SLC).
Senior second baseman
Greg Espinosa went 3-for-4 with and RBI and scored a run, while junior third baseman
Austin Zillweger went 2-for-4 with an RBI to extend his hitting streak to nine games. Junior
Blake Thomas went 2-for-4 and senior shortstop
Louie Payetta doubled and scored twice.
Garrett deMeyere (2-5) took the loss for ACU (10-18, 2-8), allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk in seven innings.
Hunter Markwardt went 3-for-4, stole three bases and scored for the Wildcats. Derek Scott doubled and drove in a run, Russell Crippen doubled and Aaron Draper drove in the other run for ACU.
Payetta led off the game with a smash to first that bounced off the first baseman Crippen and allowed Payetta to go to second. Espinosa followed with a single, then broke for second, but Payetta was caught in a rundown until third baseman Austin Call dropped the ball and allowed Payetta to score. Zillweger ripped an RBI single to rightcenter to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead.
Payetta doubled to rightcenter with two outs in the fifth, then Espinosa delivered an RBI single to put HBU ahead, 3-0.
ACU answered in the bottom half, getting a leadoff infield single from Markwardt, who stole second, then Harris followed with a single to center. The runners moved up on a double steal, where Markwardt slyly avoided a tag by Zillweger. Draper grounded out to put the Wildcats on the board and Scott's sacrifice fly cut the Huskies' lead to 3-2.
Zillweger made a great play on a slow chopper down the third baseline when Kyle Carroll led off the ninth and junior centerfielder
Zane Otten made the play off the night by laying out on Mark Pearson's line drive to leftcenter for the second out. Markwardt singled up the middle and stole second, then Harris drew a walk, but Draper flied out to left to end the game.
The series continues Saturday at 6 p.m., with the game being moved back due to impending rain into tomorrow afternoon. The Legacy Sports Network broadcast with
Russ Reneau begins at 5:45 with the pregame show and can be accessed on HBUHuskies.com.
