FORT WORTH, TX: The 23rd ranked Texas Wesleyan Baseball team (1-1) opened its season by splitting a twin-bill with Bethany College (1-1) at Sycamore Park on Saturday. The Rams took game one 1-0 before the Swedes took game two 5-1.
The Rams opened up their season by winning game one 1-0 behind a strong pitching performance from senior right-hander Stephen Yancey. Yancey threw six innings of two-hit ball, struck out ten, walked five, and earned his first win of the season.
Yancey shook off a shaky start in which he walked three Bethany batters in the first before eventually getting an inning ending pop out to first.
The Rams scored their lone run after shortstop Donnie Lopez led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a triple. The very next batter, Kiki Menendez, singled home Lopez to put the Rams on top for good.
Brad Sugg came in for the top of the seventh inning and closed the door on the Swedes earning his first save of the season in the 1-0 ballgame.
Game two of the double dip saw the Rams' offense get stifled by the opposing left-handed starting pitcher. The lefty for Bethany scattered only five hits in his complete game effort, two of which were singles by catcher Mark Schreiner and two by Ted Wisdom.
Wisdom led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a triple and scored one pitch later on a sacrifice fly by Brooks Wallace. The Rams fell into an early 3-0 hole in the third inning after a two-run home run and then a walk followed up by two singles.
Bethany led 5-0 in the sixth after the Swedes played small ball to push across a run, and then, with two outs, drove in the second run of the inning on an RBI single with two outs.
Corley Huffstickler took the loss after allowing three runs on four hits, three walks, and three strikeouts in four innings of work in his first start of the season. Parker Robinson followed Huffstickler with three innings of work to finish the game, allowing two runs on two hits, one walk and one hit batter, while striking out two.
The Rams and Swedes return to Sycamore Park at 12:00 p.m. tomorrow for the rubber match of the three game set.
