FORT WORTH, TX: The 15th ranked Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (26-9, 9-3 SAC) scored a 12-11 win in twelve innings at Wayland Baptist (16-19, 4-8 SAC) on Saturday. The win gave the Ram a Sooner Athletic Conference series win, two games to one over the Pioneers.
CJ Ateek delivered a pinch-hit leadoff double in the twelfth inning.
Casey Moses laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Ateek to third and
Caden Williams put a ball in the air to left deep enough to score Ateek with what proved to be the winning run.
The game was a thriller in which the Rams had to overcome a seven-run barrage from the Pioneers in the third inning and an eight-run deficit following the fourth inning.
Williams put Texas Wesleyan on the board first with a solo home run in the top of the first, but the Pioneers scored one in the first and then exploded for seven runs on six hits, a hit-batter, and an error in the third. The outburst was highlighted by a two-run triple from Paxton Covel and a two-run home run from Gaby De La Cruz that came back-to-back in the inning.
The deficit got worse in the fourth inning. Texas Wesleyan got an RBI double from
Aidan Laurini in the top of the frame, but Wayland responded with two runs in the bottom half to push their advantage to 10-2.
The comeback consisted of three consecutive three-run innings. Laurini's second consecutive RBI double highlighted a three-run sixth inning.
Kiki Menendez blasted a two-run homer during a three-run seventh. After WBU plated a run in the bottom of the seventh, the Rams tied the game at 11-11 with three runs on one hit, two walks, and an error in the eighth.
Brad Sugg entered the game in the eighth inning and held the Pioneers scoreless on three hits over the next five innings. Kevin Torres found similar success, keeping the Rams off the board for three innings before allowing the leadoff double and the eventual game-winning run in the twelfth inning.
Sugg (4-0) picked up the win while striking out six in his five innings of work. Torres (4-2) took the tough-luck loss after allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits in 4.2 innings of relief work.
Williams finished the day 3-for-6 with a triple, a home run, two RBI and a run scored. Menendez was 3-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and four runs scored.
The Rams will return to action on Tuesday, when they travel to Richardson, TX, to take on UT-Dallas. That game is scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. start.
Ramblings
- The Rams now lead the all-time series with Wayland Baptist 14-9. They are 55-31 all-time in SAC play.
- Against their next opponent, UT-Dallas, the Rams lead the all-time series 17-15 although UTD has won each of the last five meetings including a 4-3 decision at Sycamore Park earlier this season.
- Four Rams have had hitting streaks reach double-figures this season, led by
Alex Gudac's 18-game stretch.
Luis Roman holds the longest active streak on the team at eight games.
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Brad Sugg is undefeated at 4-0 in 10 appearances this season. He has struck out 27 batters in 27.2 innings while posting an ERA of 0.65. His ERA would lead the SAC, but he is 7.1 innings shy of qualifying in that category.
- The Rams have won each of their first four SAC series and currently sit at second in the SAC standings with a league record of 9-3.
