OKLAHOMA CITY, OK: The 22nd ranked Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (39-16) split a pair of high-scoring affairs at the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament on Saturday. The Rams fell 13-8 against 24th ranked Wayland Baptist (43-14) before surviving an elimination contest 12-8 against the host school, Oklahoma City University (38-19).
The Rams pounded out 20 runs on 31 hits in the two contests and notched single-inning rallies of seven, six, and four runs.
Vs. Wayland Baptist
Against the Pioneers, the Rams found themselves squarely behind the eight-ball when the first seven batters of the game all scored for Wayland Baptist. WBU sent 11 men to the plate and scored seven runs on six hits and two walks in the inning.
The Rams showed remarkable resiliency with a six-run outburst in the bottom of the second to climb back into the game. That rally was capped off by a bases-clearing two-out double from
Casey Moses.
Wayland got an RBI single from Jake Doyle in the fourth, but the Rams answered with an RBI single from Moses in the bottom of the frame.
A three-run homer from Doyle in the sixth proved to be the difference in the game.
Garrett Crook's first career-home run in the bottom of the sixth kept the Rams close at 11-8, but the Pioneers capped of the scoring with a two-run homer from Ernesto Lizardi in the ninth.
Jordie Henry (9-3) allowed eight runs, five earned, on 8.1 innings to pick up the win.
Zach Aitken (8-4) allowed eight runs on nine hits in four innings in the loss. That snapped a streak of 10 consecutive starts without a loss for the Rams' senior right-hander.
Moses was 2-for-5 with a double and 4 RBI in the loss.
Alex Gudac,
James Ziegler,
Erick Quesada, and
Jake Davis all had multiple hits as well. Doyle was 2-for-5 with a home run and 5 RBI for the Pioneers.
Vs. Oklahoma City
The Rams flipped the script against Oklahoma City, jumping out to a 7-0 lead with seven runs in the second inning. After two quick outs,
Jake Davis sparked the rally with a triple.
Dylan Measells,
Garrett Crook,
Alex Gudac,
Blake Seaton,
Casey Moses, and
Erick Quesada followed with six consecutive singles. A three-base error sent Quesada scampering all the way around the bases for the seventh run of the inning.
The Stars made a valiant effort at playing from behind, scoring two runs in the third. An RBI single from Moses brought the score to 8-2 in the sixth.
OCU scored one in the seventh, and then things got interesting in the eighth. The Stars got a two-run homers from Cory Linn and Joe Haddox during a 5-run frame that tied the game at 8-8.
It was the Rams' turn to answer, and they did just that.
CJ Ateek drew a pinch-hit leadoff walk and later scored on a single from Moses. The Stars intentionally walked Quesada to load the bases with one out, but
James Ziegler drew an RBI walk.
Dusteyn Suttle added an RBI single and two batters later so did Measells, giving the Rams a 12-8 advantage.
Wade Regas (7-5) earned the win with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief. He allowed a hit and a walk while striking out two.
Ricky Hull tossed the first 7.2 innings, allowing eight runs on 12 hits while striking out four. Grant Hamilton (4-2) took the loss after surrendering three runs on four hits in two innings of work.
Gudac set the table for the Rams' 18-hit attack. The leadoff man went 4-for-5 at the plate. The top four-hitters in the Texas Wesleyan order combined to go 11-for-18 as
Blake Seaton was 2-for-4 (2 RBI),
Casey Moses was 3-for-5 (3 RBI), and Eirck Quesada was 2-for-5.
Jake Davis was also 3-for-5 at the plate.
Up Next
With the win over Oklahoma City, the Rams advance to Sunday's SAC Semifinals. They will get a rematch with Wayland Baptist and need to beat the 24th ranked Pioneers twice to reach Monday's championship game. The Rams and Pioneers will meet at 12:00 pm with the if-necessary game to follow at 3:00 pm.
Ramblings
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Jake Davis is the 11th Ram to record a triple this season. Texas Wesleyan's school record 31 triples on the season is tied for the national lead with LSU-Shreveport.
- The Rams are 12-7 all-time (3-1 this season) against Wayland Baptist and 8-31-2 all-time (4-0 this season) against Oklahoma City. They are 3-5 all-time in the SAC Tournament and 81-81 in postseason play.
- The Rams are 29-4 in their last 33 games.
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Erick Quesada is batting .583 (7-for-12) in three tournament games.
Casey Moses is batting .429 (6-for-14) with 7 RBI in the three games.
Jake Davis is also 7-for-14 (.500) and
Alex Gudac is 6-for-13 (.462).
