Box Score ABILENE, TEXAS – The East Central University baseball team started out a three-game non-conference series at Abilene Christian with an 8-3 win.

Box Score

The Tigers (12-10) were led by junior Nick Spini, who tallied three hits and two runs.  Junior Ty Huie added two hits and two runs, while junior Garrett Donohoe earned three RBIs on one hit.

Junior Lucas Kaplan moved to 3-3 on the season on the mound after six innings of work.  Kaplan allowed six hits and three runs and struck out three batters.  Junior Cam McKay finished the game and allowed two hits, while striking out three.

The game was a defensive batting until the fourth inning when ECU opened the scoring with five runs.  Spini started the inning with a double to right field and was sent to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior David Terrazas.  Junior Luc Pomales was added to the bases with a walk.

The first run was scored when senior Ethan Gold reached on an error and a balk put runners on second and third.  Junior Bryce McKee added two RBIs with a single through the right side.  Huie singled and senior Josh Lavender loaded the bases with a walk.  That set up Donohoe for the first two of his RBIs when he singled through the left side for the 5-0 lead.

The Wildcats (7-9) tallied a run in the bottom of the fourth and two in the bottom of the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-3.

The Tigers responded with three runs in the top of the sixth.  Huie lead off the inning with a double to left field and Lavender reached on a bunt fielder's choice that left no players out.  Donohoe recorded his third RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to left.  Spini put runners on second and third with a double.  One run scored on a pass ball and a second scored on a wild pitch for the 8-3 lead.

ACU was held without a run for the next three innings, but did get four runners on base.  No runner made it past second and ECU held on for the 8-3 win.

The teams will continue the series, Saturday, March 15 with a 2 p.m. first pitch.