FORT WORTH – The Texas Wesleyan Baseball team (4-0) completed a 4-game sweep of Wiley College (0-4), capped by two wins today by scores of 11-3 and 25-1 at Sycamore Park during opening weekend. The team fell one run shy of tying the program record for most runs in a single game in the finale.
The Rams, fresh off their first no-hit performance since 2014 in yesterday's game two, followed that up by nearly making history in game two today. TXWES scored 25 runs – one shy of the program best, set in 2009. The last time the Rams scored 25 runs in a single game was in 2018.
Head coach
Bobby Garza on the start, "It was a god opening weekend for us. We saw a lot of really positive things. Our offense came out ready to hit from the beginning and our pitchers worked well on the mound and commanded the zone well. It was great to witness the no hitter thrown by Cory [Didier], David [Theriot] and Raul [Aragon] yesterday. We were also pleased with all three of the catchers. They did a great job managing the staff. They deserve a lot of credit."
The Rams posted 77 runs over four seven-inning games.
Marcos Sanchez was outstanding at the plate in his 2022 debut. The senior from Cuba went 8 for 10 with four RBI working at the top of the order.
In all, TXWES pitching allowed just 11 hits in 115 batters faced this weekend.
In game one, the Wildcats displayed a short memory, getting off to a good start about the blowout double-dip yesterday. Wiley improved defensively and on the mound, limiting the Rams offense to four runs through the first four innings and scoring three runs on offense through the first five. Still, the Rams were able to maintain a comfortable lead through out.
Things got sideways for the visiting team in the sixth, with the Rams taking advantage of sporadic offerings from the Wiley relief staff. TXWES tacked on five runs, extending a 6-3 lead to 11-3 and eventually taking the win by the same score.
Greyson Barrett went 2 for 5 with a pair of runs batted in and tacked on another home run, his second of the newborn season.
Marcos Sanchez went 3 for 3 with a walk.
The Rams pitching was solid despite operating with sizeable leads. Mitch McCloud (1-0) got the win after closing the game with three great innings, allowing no earned runs on just one hit and three strikeouts
In game two, the Wildcats pitching staff could not find the zone very often in the slow start to the season. Wiley surrendered 18 walks, tying the most walks given up by any TXWES opponent in program history.
The Rams also added 11 hits in the blowout, with
Tomas Sanchez leading the way. Sanchez, a sophomore from Dewitt, Va., went 2 for 5 with five RBI. Sanchez, along with
Joseph Barfield and
Matt Espinosa supplied the extra base hits in the win. Chaeston Chon, a freshman from Honolulu, Hawaii, went 2 for 4 with one RBI.
Justin Ward (1-0) picked up the win with three scoreless innings of work. The junior from Flower Mound, Texas did not allow a hit in 11 batters faced and struck out a pair along the way.
The Rams head West for a three-game series with The Master's University in Santa Clarita, Calif. Game one is set for Friday, Feb. 4 with a 1 pm (CST) first pitch.
