A Storied End: ACU Baseball Closes A Top-6 Team
Glendale, Ariz. – Many superlatives can be thrown out to describe the 2024 Arizona Christian University Baseball team but the amount of records rewritten by Joe McDonald‘s group speaks for itself. Two victories in the 2024 Avista NAIA World Series secured a top-six finish and cemented ACU’s stake on the national landscape. From individual breakout performances to career milestones to program firsts, the Firestorm enjoyed an all-time campaign in the context of ACU Baseball.
The following lists exist to document 1). program firsts 2). team and individual accolades 3). team single-season records and 4). individual career/single-season records.
Program “Firsts”
- Winning more than one game in the NAIA Baseball Opening Round (3-0 in the Lewiston Bracket)
- Qualifying for the Avista NAIA World Series (third attempt; previously had chances in 2012 and 2019)
- Winning a game at the Avista NAIA World Series (2-2 record; defeated #20 Kansas Wesleyan 17-10 in Game 1)
- Defeating the top team in the NAIA (ACU outlasted #1 Southeastern 5-3 in 11 innings in Game 7 of the 2024 Avista NAIA World Series)
Team/Individual Accolades
- Eighteen wins against teams either receiving votes or NAIA Top-25; two wins against top-fives
- Seven GSAC/NAIA Scholar-Athletes (Troy Collins, Evan Hieb, Dylan Petersen, Mackenzie Salmon, Trey Tarver, Deshon Thomas, Jordan Vickers)
- Six GSAC Player of the Week honors (three players, three pitchers)
- One NAIA All-American (Marques Titialii, Third Team)
- Three All-GSAC selections (Eli Elliott, Kane Kiaunis, Marques Titialii)
- Two GSAC Gold Glovers (Eli Elliott (P), Marques Titialii (LF))
- GSAC Pitcher of the Year (Eli Elliott)
- Two Avista NAIA World Series All-Tournament Team selections (Trey Tarver, Kane Kiaunis)
- One NAIA Ball East West Challenge All-Tournament Team selection (Trey Tarver)
Team Single-Season Records
- Most wins (38)
- Most postseason wins (6)
- Most runs scored (580)
- Most hits (681)
- Most doubles (137)
- Most RBI (512)
- Most home runs (99)
- Most total bases (1147)
- Most at bats (2093)
- Most times hit by pitch (117)
- Highest slugging percentage (.548)
- Highest on-base percentage (.427)
- Most walks (276)
- Most pitching strikeouts (623)
- Most pitching shutouts (9)
- Most innings pitched (507.2)
- Most putouts (1523)
Individual Single-Season/Career Records
- Marques Titialii – most career home runs (49), most home runs in a single season (26), most career RBI (198), most RBI in a single season (89), most career total bases (411), most total bases in a single season (181), highest career slugging percentage (.651), highest slugging percentage in a single season (.780), most hits in a single season (87); tied with Brent Smith (87, 2019), most runs in a single season (68), most stolen bases in a single season (24); tied with Brent Smith (24, 2019), highest career stolen base percentage (93.1%); tied with Deshon Thomas (27-29, 2023-24)
- Andrew Ivy – longest hitting streak (27 games)
- Jaylen Edmonds – most single-game home runs (3) and RBI (12)
- Eli Elliott – most career strikeouts (299), most strikeouts in a single season (112), most starts in a single-season (17), most career pitching appearances (72)
- Ryan Eastham – most career putouts (582), most putouts in a single season (393)
- Jared Anderson – most at bats in a single season (235), most games started in a single season (59)
- Matthew Beckworth – highest on-base percentage in a single season (minimum 75 AB) (.537)
Congratulations to all players, coaches, and family involved in making this past season the best to date. This is just the beginning, as ACU Baseball’s potential is limitless.
Roll Storm!
