GRAND PRAIRIE, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (1-1) opened the 2015 season by splitting a doubleheader with Jarvis Christian College (1-1) at QuikTrip Park on Friday. The Rams took game one 7-3, before falling 5-2 in a ten-inning night-cap.
In game one,
Mitch McLeod got the season started with an outstanding pitching performance. McLeod retired the first 15 hitters he faced, taking a perfect game into the sixth inning of the scheduled seven inning contest.
Meanwhile, the Rams scored early and often. An RBI single from
Jose Martinez got things started in the bottom of the first.
Jake Howeth capped a four-run second inning with a three-run home run. In the third,
Jonathan Bravo doubled and scored, and
Jake Davis added an RBI single to push the score to 7-0.
Jarvis' Vance Moody led off the sixth with a single to center. A Texas Wesleyan error left the door open for the Bulldogs who pushed two runs across. Jarvis added another unearned tally in the seventh, but it was too little too late as the Rams prevailed 7-3.
McLeod (1-0) allowed two unearned runs on two hits while striking out five and walking one in six innings of work. Jerry Flores (0-1) allowed seven runs, six earned, on seven hits in three innings for the Bulldogs.
Howeth's three-run homer was the big blast of the game. Garret Crook and
Jake Davis combined to go 4-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored out of the eight and nine spots in the Texas Wesleyan batting order.
Game two was also scheduled for seven innings. The Rams had the Bulldogs down to their final out in the seventh, before Moody tied the game with an RBI single to force extra innings.
Jarvis got an unearned tally in the top of the first, but the Rams answered in the bottom of the inning. Howeth reached on an error and later scored from third when
Jose Martinez got in a rundown between first and second.
RJ Burns led off the second with a double.
Matt Hexter then gave the Rams the lead with a sac fly.
Ben Russell and
Alex Lopez appeared to have the game in hand for the Rams. Russell went three innings and allowed just an unearned run on three hits in four innings of work.
Lopez was also in control until Bryan Rubalcaba reached on a one-out single in the seventh. With two outs, Lamarr Blanson kept the inning alive with a single and Moody came through with a game-tying knock.
The game rolled into extra innings and Jarvis' Ryan Shockey did not allow the Rams back into the contest. In the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs came up with three runs on two hits, a walk, and a hit batter. The inning was highlighted by an RBI triple from Oliver Inzunza and an RBI double from Carlos Andrade.
Shockey (1-0) finished off the win, throwing all ten innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits while striking out five and walking none.
Stephen Yancey (0-1) took the loss after allowing three runs on two hits in one inning pitched.
The Rams and Bulldogs will complete their three-game series on Saturday. That game has been moved up to an 11:30 a.m. start at QuikTrip Park.
Ramblings
- The Rams lead the all-time series with the Bulldogs 36-5.
- The game one win was the fourth consecutive opening day win for Texas Wesleyan.
- McLeod was vying for his second no-hitter with the Rams. He tossed a seven-inning no hitter at Mid-America Christian University last season.
