The key is seeing the fastball early in the count, Acker said.
“I’m just seeing the ball early in the zone and getting my hacks off,” Acker said. “I’m swinging early in the count and seeing the fastball well. That’s the pitch I’ve been hitting for average.”
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Acker homered in the Kings come-from-behind 12-10 victory in the second game of a doubleheader against Kokomo in Springfield on July 4. The Kings trailed 5-0 after the first inning but scored six runs in the second inning and held on to improve to 13-14 on the season.
Last fall, Acker and teammate Zac Luckey were both assigned to Champion City by the Nebraska coaching staff, led by former MLB player Darin Erstad. He hit .192 in 51 at-bats for the Huskers last spring.
“I heard (Kings General Manager Rick White) was in the majors and I was excited to be part of the club,” Acker said. “So far, it’s been great. Springfield has treated all of us well so far.”
This summer, Acker and his teammates are living together in a house on the campus of Wittenberg University.
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“We’re always together, so you get a lot closer with the guys,” he said. “It’s almost like a fraternity because we’re all in the same house.”
Acker works hard on his craft every single day, Kings manager Ted Stenberg said.
“Whether it’s a ball that’s squared up or a broken bat single, he’s just having some pretty good swings and honestly, the ball just happens to be falling in,” he said. “He has a good approach at the plate and it happens to be working for him.
Defensively, Acker has been even better, Stenberg said. He’s made several outstanding plays in centerfield, showing great range, he said.
During a game in Butler, Pa., earlier this season, Acker made a diving catch, banging his head on the ground and knocking the wind out of him, Stenberg said.
“I don’t know many people who can bang their head, knock the wind out of them and still hang onto the ball,” he said. “That’s the kind of defensively player he is.”
In 2014, former Kings outfielder Jake Bennett won the Prospect League batting title with a .342 average. Two seasons later, Kings OF Lee Sponseller finished sixth in the batting race, hitting .324 in 148 at-bats.
Acker doesn’t plan on changing much to stay atop the league in hitting.
“I’m just sticking to the same routine I’ve done every day. I’m going to stick with that as long as it’s working.”
Midseason surge: The Kings (13-14) are 8-2 in their last 10 games through July 5. They're four games back of East Division leader West Virginia (19-12) in the playoff race with more than 30 games remaining this season.
After a slew of rainouts early in the season, the Kings have finally been able to gain momentum, Stenberg said. Many of the players hadn’t played for three weeks before arriving in Springfield, he said.
“It got us off to a slow start,” he said. “You can’t really get into a groove. … It’s a matter of being on the field every day and gaining team chemistry.”
A five-run deficit in the first inning didn’t faze the Kings during its doubleheader with Kokomo on July 4, Stenberg said.
“It’s a pretty good bunch of young men,” he said. “This league is pretty darn tough. It’s you’re able to win eight out of 10, you’re doing something right because not everybody is able to do it.”
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