By Alan Wiederhold
HT Athletic Communications
FORT WORTH, Texas – Huston-Tillotson University's baseball team resumed its winning ways Thursday as they swept two games at Arlington Baptist that were scheduled for seven innings.
The Rams (10-10) needed an extra inning to prevail 3-2 in the opener, and then used a five-run sixth to claim a comeback 8-5 win in the nightcap. The wins snapped a three-game losing streak and gave HT its second and third road wins this season.
Trey Garza and Jaden Corzine collected hits in each game, while Evan Mendoza closed out both games on the mound, picking up both saves. Mendoza, a junior transfer from Baytown, Texas, and Angelina College, now has three saves in his first season at HT.
The Rams return to action Saturday, Feb. 28, when they host another doubleheader with Arlington Baptist, this time at Downs Field in east Austin. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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GAME ONE: HT Rams 3, Arlington Baptist 2
HT's Ethan Walker out-dueled his mount opponent Corbyn Torti to lead the Rams to a victory in Thursday's opener. Walker, a senior from La Vernia, Texas (McMurry University) pitched seven innings and struck out 11 batters while giving up only one earned run.
Torti meanwhile, gave up only four hits and two unearned runs in six and two-thirds innings for the Patriots. Fielding miscues undermined Arlington Baptist in the game, as all three of HT's runs were unearned.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the third inning, the Rams added another run in the top of the sixth inning when Danny Hernandez singled home Tucker Allen. Allen had led off the inning by reaching base thanks to an error by AB's first baseman. He moved to second on a wild pitch and then to third on Trey Garza's groundout.
The Patriots plated two in the bottom of the sixth, though only one of those runs was earned.
HT came up empty in the seventh and final scheduled inning of the game. Walker then gave up a one-out single but nothing else in the bottom of the frame to send the game into extra innings; the inning ended when Walker struck out Corbin Evans on eight pitches.
The Rams wasted no time rallying in the top of the eighth, as Danny Hernandez reached second base on a fielding error prior to Noah Alvarez drawing a walk from relief pitcher Victor Cortez III. Kendall Brown moved his teammates up a base with a sacrifice bunt, which was followed by pinch-hitter Alec Worden being given an intentional walk.
With one out and the bases loaded, Josh Wilk's groundball fielder's choice scored Hernandez from third base.Â
Leading 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth, Mendoza came into the game in relief, and after hitting the first batter, retired the next three hitters to finish the game. Mendoza struck out his last two batters.
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GAME TWO: HT Rams 8, Arlington Baptist 5
The Rams stunned their hosts in game two thanks to a five-run outburst in the top of the sixth inning. Trailing 5-3, the Rams put two runners on as Josh Wilk drew a nine-pitch walk before Corzine singled him to second.
Joaquin Cavazos came into the game in relief of his AB teammate Dylan Quezada, but he, too, was unable to stanch HT's rally as Tucker Allen singled to load the bases. Garza then drew a four-pitch walk to score Wilk and cut AB's lead to 5-4.
Hernandez then singled on a 3-2 pitch to score Corzine from third and tie the game. Noah Alvarez then knocked a three-RBI double to give HT its first lead since the first inning.
Sam Lozano struck out eight batters in four and two-thirds innings of relief for the Rams. Freshman hurler Adrian German earned his first win in relief of Lozano, striking out three and allowing only one hit in one and one-third inning.
In the seventh inning, Mendoza closed out the game again as he allowed only a walk between two strikeouts and groundout to end the game.
– HT –
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