Record setting day at the plate leads AC to midweek rout of WBU JV

Jan Avila put forth one of the best offensive performances by a Badger since the reboot of athletics on Tuesday evening in Plainview and the Badgers belted a season-best seven home runs during an 18-4 victory over the Wayland Baptist University junior varsity team.

Avila hit for the cycle and recorded two homers in a 5-of-6 performance at the plate. The Rutgers University baseball signee is the lone AC baseball athlete to accomplish the feat.

Jacob Sullens, David De Hoyos, Gerardo Prado, Payton Bush, and J.P. Hinojosa added one home run apiece during the nine-inning contest.

The Badgers now have 74 homers on the season - the sixth-highest total at the NJCAA D-I level. The tally has surpassed the Badgers HR total in 2023 (73) with 12 regular season games remaining.

AC’s seven home runs on Tuesday set the program’s single game record.

Bush, a Randall High grad, hit his first home run as a Badger in the leadoff role. The freshman also made his first start at catcher during the non-conference matchup.

De Hoyos’ solo homer in the third frame marked his third time going yard in AC’s last four outings. His nine home runs in 2024 are tied for third on the team.

The Badgers outhit the Pioneers 19-8, marking their second-highest hit total of the season.

Starting pitcher Logan Tibbett claimed his second win in as many starts, moving his record to 2-0. Tibbett struck out two batters, allowed one hit and no earned runs.

AC deployed six pitchers, who were on restricted inning counts, during the contest.

Remington Spoerl and Plainview native Isaac Garza threw two innings each while Colton Klemke, Gabe Watson, and Bryce Gilchrist were placed on the hill for one frame.

Watson and Garza tallied a team-high three strikeouts apiece.

The group of six hurlers gave up two earned runs combined.

Bush started the Badgers scoring with a homer on the second pitch of the game.

AC took a commanding 8-0 lead in the top of the third frame by way of five runs crossing home in the inning.

Following a second frame that saw Hinojosa hit his first homer of 2024, an Avila triple, and Bush single, De Hoyos and Prado hit back-to-back homers to lead off the third.

After a Cam Saleh double, Avila hit his first longball of the contest to centerfield with two outs, capping the Badgers five-run third inning.

Wayland Baptist plated two runs in the bottom of the third before a Pioneer error scored Prado, who hit a two-out single earlier in the frame.

Logan Tibbett, Avila, and Jaxson Smith hit one single each in the fifth inning to extend the Badgers advantage to 11-2.

Avila followed with a three-run shot, which was well over 400 feet, to left centerfield. The homer gave AC a 14-2 lead in the sixth.

Sullens hit his second home run of the season during the seventh frame. The three-run blast was followed by back-to-back doubles by Tibbett and Avila, extending the Badgers lead to 18-2.

The Badgers overall record improves to 24-19 by way of Tuesday’s victory.

AC’s final home series in Amarillo will take place April 19-20 at Sandie Field against Odessa College.