NEW ORLEANS – The Texas Wesleyan baseball team (9-6) picked up a series win over #12 Loyola New Orleans (7-5) with a 5-1 win in the finale at Segnette Field on Sunday.
Another good matchup of solid pitching ensued in the rubber match of a three-game series between the Rams and Wolfpack. However, each team was able to keep runs off the board in different ways.
The Wolfpack elected to keep the Ram bats off balance by committee, throwing a handful of relievers after John Blanchard tossed the first three, giving up two runs (one earned).
The TXWES brain trust were content to lean on
Morgan McCloud to manage the majority of the ball game. He did more than that. The sophomore produced a gem in the complete game win. McCloud moved to 2-0 after conceding just one run on four hits while striking out seven.
The Rams picked up an early run in the opening inning on a Loyola error.
Tomas Sanchez stole third before trotting home on an errant throw.
A second run scored in the third, helped along by Sanchez stealing third yet again. A groundout RBI by
Marcos Sanchez brought the run home for a 2-0 edge.
Tomas Sanchez now has 12 steals on the year, tied for fifth in the nation.
The Wolkpack answered with a solo shot in the fourth, making it a 2-1 game.
McCloud and the defense continued to win battles, anf the Ram offense continued adding runs with methodical small ball. A pair on base hits from
Trey Erwin and Chaeston Chon in the seventh set up a
Greyson Barrett ground out RBI. Another run would cross on a throwing error, and the Rams pushed the lead.
More Wolkpack mishaps coupled with a few walks in the eighth resulted in a RBI infield single by Chon with the bases loaded, and the Rams controlled a 5-1 lead with six outs to a win.
Enter McCloud and the Rams defense. The team went three-up, three-down in the eighth spurred by a Chon over-the-shoulder catch made down the left field line from the shortstop position. Then, three fly outs in the ninth made short work of the Wolkpack.
The Rams were limited to just five hits with Chon providing two of them. The freshman went 2 for 3 with 1 RBI.
The Rams will come back home to take on Texas College in a mid-week clash. The game set for Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. at Sycamore Park.
