ABILENE, Texas – Grant Smith delivered his sixth and seventh home runs of the season and has had three home runs in his last three games but the Abilene Christian Wildcats were able to come from-behind in both games of the doubleheader on Saturday, April 24 at Crutcher Scott Field.   

ACU took game one, 10-7, and used a six-run eighth inning for an 8-3 game two win.  

Smith finished the two-game day 4-for-9 with two home runs, three runs scored and two RBIs. Jordan McFarland also went yard, finishing the afternoon 3-for-7 with three runs scored and two RBIs.  Wilson Ehrhardt and Ron Brown also with home runs for the Cardinals.

Game one saw the Cardinals get out to another hot start scoring two in the second inning after a McFarland two-run home run which scored Ryan Flores who singled.  

After ACU pulled ahead with four runs in the third inning, UIW responded with three more runs to regain the 5-4 lead. McFarland lead off the inning with a hard-hit double down the line to right field. McFarland scooted around the bases and later scored on an RBI ground out by Trent Koerner. Back-to-back singles by Ridge Rogers and Smith allowed Lee Thomas to knock in both with a double to center field to regain the lead.   

The Wildcats again responded with four more runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning to take an 8-5 lead.  

Both sides traded two runs in the top and bottom half of the sixth inning as Brown launched a pinch-hit home run over the left center field fence and Smith hit his second home run of the series to cut into the ACU lead 7-8, but the UIW comeback fell short in game one as ACU claimed the 10-7 win.  

In game two, ACU was quick to score in the first inning and added another in the sixth before UIW came storming back with a Smith solo home run for the third time in three games and Ehrhardt had a home run of his own two batters later after McFarland reached on a walk. The Cardinals gained a 3-2 advantage as Johnny Foral came on to relieve Aaron Celestino and get the final two outs of the seventh to preserve the 3-2 lead.   

ACU put a damper on the Cardinals with six runs in the eighth inning for the 8-3 win and doubleheader sweep.  

ON DECK 
The Cardinals (14-21, 10-17 SLC) and Wildcats finish the series on Sunday, April 25, with a 2:05 p.m. start before UIW heads to Austin to take on the No. 3 Longhorns Tuesday night.  

FAN INVOLVEMENT  
Join Cardinals Club today! Email UIW Baseball Director of Operations, Maddy Jordan (majorda1@uiwtx.edu) for more information.   

FOLLOW ALONG  
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook.       

Follow the team on Twitter and on Instagram @UIWbaseball.