NEW ORLEANS, La. – Texas Wesleyan baseball (RV) (8-7) split a doubleheader with #12 Loyola New Orleans (8-5) at Segnette Field on Saturday. The Rams topped the Wolfpack 5-0 in game one before Loyola took a 5-0 win in game two.
The two teams played seven innings in game one and a full nine-inning game in game two. In game one, solid pitching and defense paved the way, in game two, the Rams spoiled the shutout in the ninth.
"Today was a good day to pitch. Both teams threw the ball well," said head coach
Bobby Garza. "David was really good for us in game one. He commanded the zone well, and moved the ball in and out really well. We had some good defensive plays that eliminated any big inning from Loyola.
Chaesten Chon made some big time plays and his defense gave us a lot of confidence. In game two, Ian was really good. Their pitcher was too. It was a championship baseball atmosphere. They just made the plays and got some hits to fall. Lots of credit to Coach Kennedy and his team. They are class act. Both our starters gave us a lot of innings so we will have a deep pen for the rubber match. We are expecting another championship atmosphere."
In game one, the Rams broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth to get things going.
Joseph Barfield reached on a single up the middle before
Hayden Hutchins drove him home on a double to deep right center field. A couple of Loyola errors allowed a second run to score, and TXWES made it 2-0 and put the pressure on the 12th ranked Wolfpack midway through game one.
TXWES added three insurance runs in the fifth.
Jose Sosa legged out an infield single to put a runner in scoring position for Barfield. The senior ripped a single into center field to score pinch runner
Manny Luna from second.
Greyson Barrett followed with a two RBI single to center for a 5-0 cushion.
The Wolfpack could do nothing against the stout Ram defense, dropping the opening game of the series 5-0. The Rams hit .417 with two out and .286 with runners in scoring position, while maintaining a .694 strike percentage on the mound.
David Theriot (2-0) was outstanding in the win. He tossed six scoreless innings, scattered four hits, gave up one walk and stuck out one. Theriot and Garret Moltzan, who closed out the final inning, allowed no hits with runners on base.
Barfield went 2 for 4 with one RBI and a pair of runs scored. Hutchins drew two walks in a 1 for 2 day with one RBI.
In game two, the Wolfpack flipped the script, jumping out to a 5-0 lead after the first seven innings. Loyola New Orleans posted two more in the eighth for a 7-0 advantage and the Rams down to their final three outs.
The Rams, with quite a few comeback wins on their ledger already, could not pull off the comeback, but did salvage the shutout.
In the top of the ninth, Loyola turned a line drive double play before to make it two away before the Rams found a run. Kevin Santiago launched a single into center field to break up the shutout. A walk made way for a Sosa RBI single for a 7-2 deficit. After a pitching change, the Wolfpack were able to record the final out to seal the game two win.
The Rams were limited to just three hits, two of them recorded in the final inning.
Santiago led the team going 2 for 4 with 1 RBI and a run scored. Sosa was the only other batter to record a hit. He was 1 for 3 with 1 RBI.
The two teams will battle it out again tomorrow in the finale for the series win. First pitch is set for noon at Segnette Field.
