After dropping a game at Beulah a little over a week ago, ACA (2-5) blanked the visitors 7-0 on Monday night behind the right arm of Landon Nelson. The senior took the mound and dominated the Bobcat lineup as he struck out a career high 13 batters over five innings while giving up just one hit. Nelson set the tone early as he struck out the side in the first on just eleven pitches.
Neither team scored through the first two innings, but the Eagles touched home four times in the third to give their pitcher all the runs he would need. After Mac Moorer and Jackson McGuire opened the frame with singles, Landon Nelson drove in the first run of the night with a double down the left field line. Jackson Burton followed with an RBI on a fielder’s choice and Cam Sutton drove in the last two on a pop up single to shallow left that the Beulah shortstop could not catch. Nelson again struck out the side in the fourth to make sure the Bobcats didn’t have any thoughts of a comeback. Although his control was not as sharp in the fifth, he finished the night with his 13th punch out of the night.
In the final innings, ACA looked to pad the four run lead for some insurance. In the fifth, ACA looked poised for a big inning as Bryson Dabney coaxed a one-out bases loaded walk to extend the lead to 5-0 and turn it over to the top of the lineup. Unfortunately, the rally was halted as a jog down the first base line aided an inning ending double play. Cam Sutton relieved Nelson and set the Bobcats down 1-2-3 in the sixth. In the home half, ACA scored twice more on a Grant Cornette ground out and a Teilan Long double. In the seventh, Beulah’s lead off hitter reached base, but was erased on a beautiful around the horn double play. The last hitter popped up and the game belonged to Alabama Christian.
Jackson McGuire led the hit parade with a 3 for 3 night with a walk. Zander Costanza finished 2 for 3 with a walk as five other batters each had one hit. Cam Sutton’s two RBIs were the most on the team while Grant Cornette and Jackson Burton each scored two runs for team high honors. Landon Nelson and Teilan Long had the team’s extra base hits as both hit doubles.
If the rain holds off, ACA is scheduled to participate in the Jason Armstrong Tournament on Tuesday against Greenville at Riverwalk.