ABILENE, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (17-21) held a 9-7 lead with two outs in the bottom of the ninth before McMurry University's (26-5) Kyle Sargent stepped to the plate and delivered a three-run walk-off home run.
The Rams plugged away offensively throughout the game.
Jake Howeth got the Rams on the board with an RBI single in the top of the first.
Garrett Crook added an RBI knock in the second. A leadoff triple from
Tyler Kamtz followed by a sac fly from
Jose Martinez in the fourth, and an unearned tally in the fifth pushed the lead to 4-0.
The War Hawks cut the margin in half with a two-run single form Mikal Hunter in the fifth. A Texas Wesleyan error in the seventh made it a one-run game at 4-3.
The teams traded runs in the eighth inning. The Rams got an RBI double from Kamtz, while the War Hawks added an RBI single from Sargent.
Texas Wesleyan pulled away in the top of the ninth, batting around and scoring four runs on six hits. Crook led off with a single, and
Quavian Lawson ripped a pinch hit double. With two outs, Howeth came through with an RBI single, Kamtz followed with his second RBI double in as many innings, and
Jose Martinez knocked in a run with a single.
After recording the first out of the bottom of the ninth, five straight War Hawks reached base. With three runs already across,
Bailey Laws got Casey Berryman to fly to center. That put runners at the corners with two outs and the lead still at 9-7 to set the table from Sargent who touched off his second home run of the season and ended the game at 10-9.
Ben Bates (7-1) earned the win with an inning of relief work in which he allowed two runs on four hits.
Bailey Laws (1-1) took the loss after allowing a run on one hit in a third of an inning.
Jonathan Morin turned in a solid start for the Rams, lasting five innings and allowing no runs on three hits while striking out three.
For the game, the Rams outhit the War Hawks 14-12. Kamtz was 3-for-5 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Crook went 3-for-3 at the plate. Howeth was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored, and
Jake Davis was 2-for-5.
The Rams will return to action on Wednesday, when they travel to Dallas to take on Dallas Christian College. Game one of that doubleheader is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. start.
Ramblings
- The Rams are now 5-3 all-time vs. McMurry and 12-2 against Dallas Christian.
-
Jake Howeth holds the longest active hitting streak on the team at five games.
-
Avery Sullivan allowed multiple runs for only the second time in his last 22 appearances and just the fourth time in his career (37 appearances).
