FORT WORTH, Texas – The 17th ranked Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (15-8) dropped a 6-3 game to Texas A&M – Texarkana (15-7) in non-conference action at Sycamore Park on Monday.
The Rams enjoyed a short day of rest before getting back after it on Monday afternoon. The team featured nine relief pitchers on the mound in the non-conference game. The bullpen put together a solid outing, while the bats were sporadic outside of homers from
Michael Higgins (9) and
Tanner Amaral (8).
"Our pitching staff kept us in the ball game," said head coach
Bobby Garza. "They competed on the mound and made some good pitches. They did a great job. They deserve a lot of credit."
Garrett Moltzan looked sharp. He got the start and went two scoreless innings on two hits and two strikeouts. Frederick took over and offered 2.2 solid innings, allowing just on unearned run off of two hits and walk.
Tristan Flanagan also went scoreless in the final inning.
The team had to play catch-up, tying the game twice, but TXWES was unable to match crooked numbers from the Eagles in the seventh and eighth.
The two teams played scoreless ball through the first four innings, and it was the Eagles who broke the silence, scoring on a Ram fielding error in the fifth to make it 1-0. The Rams came back to tie it in the bottom of the inning on an Amaral RBI hit by pitch.
For Amaral, it was the 12 th time this season he took first base by wearing the baseball. The single season record is 21.
TAMUT regained a shot lived lead in the sixth after a Cal Pequeño RBI double to left. In the bottom of the inning Higgins tied things with a solo shot that seemed to go well beyond 400 feet.
The Eagles put four more up in the seventh and eighth innings, and it was just the Amaral solo shot the Rams could produce the rest of the way.
Marcos Sanchez, who came in from his center field position to pitch today, went 2 for 4 at the plate.
If there was a game for the offense to have a hiccup, it was this one. The Rams get back to Sooner Athletic Conference play at Oklahoma City University. The three-game series will start with one nine-inning game on Friday, March 6 at 4 p.m. at Jim Wade Stadium. The double header is set for Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
