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Arizona Christian University

OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE OF ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
Week 3 Preview - Baseball 2024

Baseball Payne Moses

Another Week, Another Ranked Opponent

Glendale, Ariz. - The Firestorm are now battle-tested veterans regardless of experience after competing in the second NAIA Ball East West Challenge. With two tournaments behind them, ACU Baseball will fall into business as usual for the rest of the 2024 season. 

Arizona Christian will face their fourth nationally-ranked team in their first eight games, with #19 Benedictine Mesa this week. A three-game series will open at Greenway High School this Friday before transitioning to and finishing at Gene Autry on Monday.

Game Details

RV Arizona Christian vs #19 Benedictine Mesa - February 9 at 7:00 PM
RV Arizona Christian vs #19 Benedictine Mesa - February 10 at 6:00 PM
RV Arizona Christian at #19 Benedictine Mesa - February 12 at 6:00 PM

Greenway High School - Glendale, AZ
Gene Autry - Mesa, AZ

*All Times Are Arizona Time

Live Coverage

Video - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/benumesa/, https://www.gsacsportsnetwork.com/azchristian/ 
Live Stats - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/benumesa/, https://acufirestorm.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary 

Arizona Christian

With first pitch not coming till 9:35 PM, the Firestorm had been idle for over 48 hours and it was apparent in an error-filled 8-5 loss to RV St. Thomas (FL) in the final game of the 2024 East West Challenge. Arizona Christian recorded a season-low in the hits category (5) and their second-most errors (4), falling behind 7-0 through the top of the sixth inning. They did not roll over, however, scoring five runs in the inward four innings to make it a respectable ending to a marathon of a tournament.

Justin Colon and Trey Tarver brightened a rather dull performance, igniting a cold and shrinking crowd with a two-run blast and triple respectively.

In his second start of 2024, Eli Elliott worked his way through 5.0 innings, surrendering four runs on six hits and punching out six batters on 94 pitches. Of the five relievers that strolled out to the mound, Evan Hieb threw the most efficiently, needing 19 pitches to get out of the seventh while striking out one batter and not allowing a hit.

At the conclusion of the second East West Challenge, the Firestorm finished with a 1-3 record and are now 3-5 all-time in the prestigious tournament. 

ACU Key Players

Jared Anderson - .400 BA, 10 hits, 4 doubles 
Jaylen Edmonds - .385 BA, 10 hits, 7 RBIs
Trey Tarver - .381 BA, 8 hits, 6 RBIs
Kane Kiaunis - .368 BA, 7 hits, 9 RBIs
Marques Titialii - .269 BA, 7 hits, 6 RBIs
Troy Collins - .400 BA, 8 hits, 6 RBIs
Eli Elliott - 3.48 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 12 SOs
Jackson Hohensee - 6.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 16 SOs

Series Notes

In 22 all-time meetings dating back to the 2017 season, the Firestorm are 6-16 against the Benedictine Mesa Redhawks. The first eight games in the series were split (4-4), but Ben Mesa has won 14 of the last 16 games including the previous four. Arizona Christian has yet to record a road win (0-8), losing by an average of four runs with four occasions being decided by one run. In the most recent meeting, the Redhawks took both games in a double-header (5-4 and 9-3) on April 18, 2023. Andrew Ivy led the Firestorm with four hits and two RBIs between the two games.

#19 Benedictine Mesa

The Benedictine University Mesa Redhawks (3-2) opened their season with a 2-0 performance at the 5th Annual Coach Calderone Invitational, earning wins over Oklahoma Panhandle State (10-9) and Olivet Nazarene (7-2). Like the Firestorm, the Redhawks competed in the East West Challenge. They finished the tournament with a 1-2 record, unable to play their final scheduled game against #15 Ave Maria due to inclement weather. Their lone win is also their most recent game, a 6-3 victory over #7 Bellevue (NE). Cameron Jowaiszas and Jack Fitzgerald each hit home runs in the contest, driving in a combined five runs in the first and third innings. Justin Bates was the winning pitcher for Ben Mesa, working 5.0 innings in which he threw two strikeouts and gave up three runs.


Roll Storm!
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Players Mentioned

Troy Collins

#40 Troy Collins

C
6' 2"
Senior
R/R
Eli Elliott

#8 Eli Elliott

P
6' 2"
Senior
R/R
Evan Hieb

#21 Evan Hieb

P
6' 2"
Junior
L/L
Jackson Hohensee

#34 Jackson Hohensee

P
6' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
Andrew Ivy

#30 Andrew Ivy

OF
5' 9"
Sophomore
L/L
Trey Tarver

#10 Trey Tarver

P
6' 3"
Junior
L/L
Marques Titialii

#11 Marques Titialii

OF
6' 0"
Senior
R/R
Jared Anderson

#17 Jared Anderson

OF/1B
6' 1"
Junior
R/R
Justin Colon

#12 Justin Colon

SS/2B
5' 6"
Junior
R/R
Jaylen Edmonds

#3 Jaylen Edmonds

CF/SS
5' 10"
Junior
R/R
Kane Kiaunis

#5 Kane Kiaunis

P/OF/IF
6' 2"
Junior
R/R

Players Mentioned

Troy Collins

#40 Troy Collins

6' 2"
Senior
R/R
C
Eli Elliott

#8 Eli Elliott

6' 2"
Senior
R/R
P
Evan Hieb

#21 Evan Hieb

6' 2"
Junior
L/L
P
Jackson Hohensee

#34 Jackson Hohensee

6' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
P
Andrew Ivy

#30 Andrew Ivy

5' 9"
Sophomore
L/L
OF
Trey Tarver

#10 Trey Tarver

6' 3"
Junior
L/L
P
Marques Titialii

#11 Marques Titialii

6' 0"
Senior
R/R
OF
Jared Anderson

#17 Jared Anderson

6' 1"
Junior
R/R
OF/1B
Justin Colon

#12 Justin Colon

5' 6"
Junior
R/R
SS/2B
Jaylen Edmonds

#3 Jaylen Edmonds

5' 10"
Junior
R/R
CF/SS
Kane Kiaunis

#5 Kane Kiaunis

6' 2"
Junior
R/R
P/OF/IF