PLAINVIEW, TX:  After dropping both ends of a wind-blown doubleheader on the west Texas plains on Friday, the Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (20-26, 12-11 SAC) pounded out 22 hits including three two-run home runs in the final two innings to salvage the finale of a Sooner Athletic Conference series at Wayland Baptist University (32-21, 13-8 SAC) with a 15-12 win.
 
After throwing 73 pitches in five innings in game one of Friday's doubleheader, senior Mitch McLeod came right back to start Saturday's finale.  McLeod was solid for six gutty innings before the Pioneers finally broke through in the seventh.
 
The two teams traded runs in the first inning.  Jake Davis got the Rams on the board first with an RBI single in the top of the inning, but Wayland's Aaron Vallance had an RBI knock in the bottom of the inning.
 
In the second, the Rams exploded for six runs on five hits including a two-out two-run double from Davis followed by a two-run single from Tyler Kamtz.
 
The Pioneers responded with three runs on two hits and an error in the bottom of the second to cut the score to 7-4.
 
Jake Howeth singled in the fourth and eventually scored on a wild pitch.  In the fifth, Ryan Mendez doubled and scored on a single from Dylan Measells to push the score to 9-4.
 
Wayland got two runs back in the sixth, and then broke through with six runs on six hits in the seventh.  An RBI single from Chris Buitron put the Pioneers on top 10-9.  Two batters later, Skyler Wood doubled down the left field line to bring the score to 12-9.
 
Howeth launched a two-run bomb in the eighth, his sixth of the season, to bring the Rams right back within a run at 12-11.  With two outs, Rod Lewis singled and then Jonathan Bravo touched off a two-run homer, his first of the season, to give the Rams the lead.
 
Howeth homered again in the ninth, another two-run shot, to cap the scoring at 15-12.
 
The Rams put up some gaudy offensive numbers amongst their 22 hits.  Jake Howeth went 3-for-4 with two two-run home runs, 4 RBI, and 4 runs scored.  Dylan Measells was a perfect 5-for-5 with a walk, an RBI and 4 runs scored.  Tyler Kamtz (3-for-6), Rod Lewis (3-for-5), and Jake Davis (2-for-6) all had multi-hit games as well.
 
McLeod received no decision after allowing nine runs, seven earned on 10 hits in 6+ innings.  Three of those runs crossed the plate in the seventh inning.  Connor Zamora (1-0) picked up the win by recording the last out of the seventh.  Avery Sullivan locked down his fifth save of the season with two scoreless innings of relief work, striking out two of the six batters he faced.
 
The Rams will return to action on Tuesday, when they host Mid-America Christian in their regular season finale.  That game is scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. start at QuikTrip Park.
 
Ramblings

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- This was the 206th game played of Jake Howeth's career.  He is two shy of tying Travis Clifford's (2003-06) school record at 208.

- Howeth homered in all three games of this series.

- Dylan Measells did not make an out in six trips to the plate.
 
- The win gives the Texas Wesleyan Baseball program 11 consecutive seasons with at least 20 wins under the direction of head coach Mike Jeffcoat.
 
- The Rams are now 9-6 all-time vs. Wayland Baptist, 27-23 in SAC play, and 7-1 vs. Mid-America Christian.