FORT WORTH, TX: With a frigid game-time temperature of 35 degrees, the 19th ranked Texas Wesleyan University Baseball team (27-7, 14-2 SAC) rode the bat of
Julio Ibarra and the right arm of
Brad Sugg to their 14th consecutive victory. The Rams defeated Oklahoma Panhandle State University (18-23, 9-10 SAC) 12-2 in the opener of a Sooner Athletic Conference series on Saturday.
Ibarra had a career-day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and seven RBI. Meanwhile Sugg, the SAC's ERA leader, lowered his ERA to 1.56 by allowing just one earned run on four hits in a complete game seven-inning effort.
OPSU scored first with an unearned tally in the top of the first. The Rams took advantage of an Aggie miscue in the bottom of the first to tie the game 1-1.
Ibarra gave the Rams the lead with an RBI double in the second, and
Kaden Brown added an RBI single in the frame to make it a 3-1 cushion.
Ibarra came up with the bases loaded and one out in the third and broke things open with a bases clearing double down the left field line. In the fifth he blasted his fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot that brought the score to 9-1.
After OPSU turned a leadoff double from Gerson Padilla into a run in the sixth,
Kiki Menendez got in on the aerial attack with a two-run home run, his 15th of the season.
The Rams ended the game in the bottom of the seventh, when
Ryan Breaud ripped a leadoff double and later scored on a ground ball from Menendez.
Sugg (8-0) did not issue a walk while striking out five in seven innings. The senior from Burleson, TX, leads the SAC and ranks 18th nationally in ERA.
Ibarra was just a triple shy of the cycle. He is batting .379 with four home runs and 20 RBI this season.
Ted Wisdom was 3-for-3 on the day, while
Ryan Breaud was 3-for-4 with a double.
The Rams and Aggies will complete their three-game series with a doubleheader on Sunday. Game one is scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. start at Sycamore Park.
Ramblings
- This was the first ever meeting between the two programs.
- The Rams improved to 76-33 all-time in SAC play.
- Menendez's home run extended his current hitting streak to 13 games. He has hit safely in 31 of 34 games played this season.
