Box Score

FORT WORTH, TX: Playing their fourth consecutive game against a nationally ranked opponent, the Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (28-18) suffered a 7-5 loss in extra innings against eighteenth ranked Tarleton State University (29-7 NCAA Division II) at LaGrave Field on Tuesday.

 

A well played game was marred by egregious officiating that affected the game early and proved to be costly late.

 

Junior Dishmey started a two-out rally for the Texans in the first inning. After Dishmey singled, Mark Jeffery reached base when he left his padded left elbow in the path of a Daniel Milliman offering. Zane Hensley then singled on a hit-and-run to give TSU a 1-0 lead. Hensley then stole second, but the Rams got Jeffery in a run down between third and home. The field umpire signaled that the runner was out causing Texas Wesleyan catcher Justin Snider to head for the dugout.   The same umpire then signaled safe when Jeffery returned to the bag. That brought head coach Mike Jeffcoat out to argue, and he was ejected from the game.

 

A walk to Chris Casazza loaded the bases, but Milliman limited the damage by getting Travis Hayes to pop out to third base.

 

In the bottom of the inning, Christian Soberanes battled through a ten-pitch at bat and singled into left centerfield. Soberanes was erased on a fielder’s choice, but Joseph Lassiter scored from first on a Jason Holmes double to tie the game at one.

 

Officiating continued to interfere with the game in the second inning. Justin Snider appeared to have drawn a leadoff walk for the Rams, but the plate umpire ruled Snider had called time although time had clearly not been granted on the 3-0 pitch. Snider would later strikeout swinging, and the Rams went down in order.

 

Lassiter gave the Rams a 2-1 lead with a two-out RBI single in the third inning. Casazza led off the fourth inning with a double for TSU and scored to tie the game at two.

 

The Rams regained the lead with another two-out run on an RBI double from Soberanes in the fifth inning. Texas Wesleyan continued to rally on two in the sixth inning. After Justin Snider drew a two-out walk, Eric Epperson laced a triple into the right-center gap. Hunter Robinson followed with a double off the left field fence and the Rams led 5-2.

 

The Texans cut into the lead with a pinch hit RBI double off the bat of Andrew Kapple in the seventh inning. With runners at the corners, the Rams tried to turn a double play, but Stephen Niedwiecki's throw hit the runner heading for second base allowing the run to score from third. A double steal then put the go-ahead run at second base with one out. With the infield in, Niedwiecki handled a hot smash at first base for the second out, and Nolan Barbee worked out of the jam with a fly to left.

 

In the ninth, Tim Rainey led off with a base hit, moved to second on a sac bunt, and scored the tying run on a single from Landon McCall.

 

Vincent Winter ripped a base hit up the middle in the bottom of the ninth, but Ryan Turner got out of the inning with a 6-4-3 double play ball.

 

With two outs in the tenth, Andrew Wolfe illegally pinch ran a second time for the Texans (Wolfe had already appeared as a courtesy runner in the seventh and a pinch runner in the ninth), but the umpire told assistant coach Blake Walker that was not the case without checking the official scorer. Andrew Kapple then delivered what proved to be a game-winning two run single to center.

 

Ryan Turner (5-2) picked up the win with three scoreless innings of relief work. Patrick Stanley (3-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs on five hits in two innings of work.

 

Soberanes went 2-for-4 at the plate for Texas Wesleyan.

 

The Rams will return to action on Wednesday, when they travel to Richardson, TX, to take on UT-Dallas. That game is scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. start.