FORT WORTH - After an inside-the-park home run in the top of the 9th dashed the Rams' hopes of winning their fifth-straight game to start the season, Texas Wesleyan Baseball found redemption in the 12th inning when Joseph Barfield bombed a shot into center-right field to bring in Jeddediah Fagg for the game-winning run, a 5-4 victory over LSU-Alexandria (0-1) to improve to 5-0. It's the first 5-0 start since 2012.

So how did they get to Barfield's sacrifice? In the bottom of the 12th, the Rams trailed 4-3.

Tanner Amaral was walked. There were only seven walks against 107 total batters faced Friday, as Texas Wesleyan pitchers Houston Glad and Jesse Ramirez carried a well-played defensive contest with just two walks and 14 strikeouts.

Fagg then singled to right-center, sending pinch runner Josh Brown to second. It was Fagg's third hit in five tries, his third game already this season with multiple hits.

A passed ball advanced the runners to second and third. While the Rams filled the bases much of the day, this was the first time in extra innings the Rams had two runners at second and third base and seriously threatened to score. They delivered.

Sheadion Jamanika: walked. That was the third walk in extra innings after the Generals only walked two batters in the first nine frames. Bases loaded. 

Brayden Bahnsen put the ball in play and the Generals could make no play on the ball. All tied up, bases still loaded. It was Bahnsen's sixth trip to the plate Friday, the most of any player on the Rams and tied for the most appearances for either team.

Then to Barfield's game-winning RBI to right-center. Texas Wesleyan have won six of their last eight one-run contests dating back to March 2, 2018.

Both Rams' pitchers were on point throughout the day. In the top of the third, Glad nabbed the highlight of the day. With Ty Desormeaux at the plate, Desormeaux grounded a bouncing ball that most days would slide past the pitcher to the shortstop. Glad snatched it with a back-hand to begin a double-play that finished off with a Desormeaux out after Eric Thomas was caught in no-mans land. Ramirez (2-0) went three-up, three-down in the eighth and tenth innings, earning seven strikeouts against just 16 batters. Glad allowed no hits in the third and fifth frames.

Offensive leaders for TXWES included Alan Campero, who swung and connected two out of four trips to the plate and Brooks Wallace, who was 2-of-5 with a RBI. Amaral and Fagg had doubles, while LSU-Alexandria couldn't muster up any hits over a blip single but were aggressive on the bases, stealing four.

While the Generals successfully stole four, three others were picked off by Amaral (all at third base) - once in the first, once in the sixth (to end the inning) and once in the seventh with sharp throws to Fagg to halt scoring opportunities for the visitors.

RAMBLINGS
The 12th inning was the only of the day that had multiple runs by the same team. Seven other times the Generals and Rams scored in an inning, but managed just one run.

The Rams won despite trailing three different times. In their first five wins, the Rams have trailed at some point on seven different occasions, showing an uncanny ability and depth of talent to get out of jams.

The game was the longest in terms of innings played since a 13-inning barnburner against Oklahoma City April 7, 2017.

Texas Wesleyan has now defeated the Generals five straight, dating back to the 2017 season.

WHAT'S NEXT
Texas Wesleyan concludes their three-game homestand against LSU-Alexandria Saturday with a doubleheader that starts at noon. The following weekend, the Rams will host Bethany College (Kan.) for back-to-back doubleheaders on Feb. 8-9.