Box Score

CEDAR HILL, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (27-16, 17-8 RRAC) took a thrilling 12-10 win in the opening contest of a three-game Red River Athletic Conference series with one of the top offensive teams in the country, tenth ranked Northwood University (30-10, 19-3).

 

Chris Arocha had missed 24 games due to an injury, but was able to come back for an important series with the rival Knights. The Rams had already touched Northwood starter Kane Kimrey for two runs with RBI from Stephen Niedwiecki and Christian Soberanes when Arocha came to bat in the first inning. On the first pitch he saw, the junior second baseman slammed a two-run homer over the centerfield fence.

 

Northwood cut into the Texas Wesleyan lead in the bottom of the first, using a two-out two-run double from Adam Humes to bring the score to 4-2.

 

In his second at bat, Arocha led off the fourth inning with a single. AfterJoseph Lassiter was hit by a pitch, Justin Padron laid down a sacrifice bunt to put runners at second and third with one out. Arocha trotted home on a double from Jason Holmes. The Rams then loaded the bases with two outs, but could not push another run across.

 

The Rams kept the pressure on in the sixth inning. A leadoff single from Holmes chased Kimrey from the game. Taylor Jockers bunted Holmes to second. Holmes then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Northwood error.

 

In the bottom of the sixth, the RRAC’s leading offensive team began to flex its muscle. The nation’s leading home run hitter, Johnny Aldaz (15) led off the rally with a double down the left field line. Singles from Humes and Isaac Maturino and a sac bunt from Garrett Yates put runners at second and third with a run in and one out. After the Rams walked the bases loaded, the Knights tied the game with a single from J.P. Cazares, a sac fly from Edwin Arroyo, and an RBI single from Will Fontnow. Mike Jeffcoat then called upon Nolan Barbee to face Nico Taylor, who entered the game as the nation’s leader in hits (69), while ranking fourth nationally in doubles (18), and fifth in slugging percentage (.816). Barbee was up to the task, getting Taylor to pop out to Holmes at third base in foul territory.

 

The Rams loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, when Northwood came up with a huge defensive play. Holmes lifted a fly ball to left and the Knight’s left fielder, Will Fontnow, threw out the potential go-ahead run at the plate for an inning-ending double play.

 

In the eighth inning both teams hit a new gear. Jockers started the inning with a double to right field. Two batters later, Niedwiecki put the Rams ahead with a two-run double and Soberanes followed with a two-run homer that pushed the score to 10-6. Jockers came to bat a second a second time in the inning and produced a bases-loaded walk before the Knights could end the rally.

 

The Knights batted around in the bottom of the inning, scoring four runs with an RBI single from Arroyo, a two-run single from Fontnow, and an RBI double from Aldaz. The Knights had the bases loaded with one out, when Patrick Stanley got a groundball to third, and the Rams turned a 5-2-3 double play.

 

The Rams added an insurance run with a solo homer from Niedwiecki in the ninth inning, and Stanley closed out the game for his tenth save of the year. Stanley allowed one run on three hits in two innings of work. Barbee (6-2) picked up the win after allowing three runs on one hit, a walk, and a hit batter in 1.1 innings of relief work.

 

Soberanes went 3-for-6 with three RBI in the win. Niedwiecki added a 2-for-5 day with a double, home run, and four RBI.

 

The Rams and Knights will complete their three-game series at LaGrave Field this weekend. There will be single nine-inning games beginning at 1:00 p.m. on both days.