By Alan Wiederhold
HT Athletic Communications
AUSTIN – Huston-Tillotson University's baseball team continued its winning streak Tuesday while snapping their opposition's string of wins as the Rams defeated Our Lady of the Lake 5-4 in non-conference action.
Junior left-handed pitcher Bryce Sanchez won his first collegiate decision as he pitched six strong innings and struck out five batters while allowing only a single earned run. Freshman hurler Adrian German continued to silence the OLLU bats, as he retired nine of the 10 batters he faced en route to a three-inning save.
With the win, the Rams (18-13) snapped OLLU's 11-game winning streak. The visiting Saints (20-9) are tied for second place with Texas A&M–Victoria in the Red River Athletic Conference with a 10-2 league record. The victory also extended HT's winning streak to four games and was the Rams' sixth triumph in their last eight contests.
HT third baseman Trey Garza led the Rams' hitting attack with two RBIs while going 1-for-4 at the plate. He had an RBI groundout in the first inning and then tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with a double that scored Tucker Allen from second base.
Trailing 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Rams pieced together a one-out rally that began when Allen and Alec Worden knocked back-to-back singles. Garza's double to right-centerfield scored Allen and moved Worden to third base. Noah Alvarez then reclaimed the lead for the Rams with a sacrifice fly that sent Worden across home plate.
Kendall Brown gave the Rams a needed insurance run with a two-out, pinch-hit single in the bottom of the sixth that scored Israel Brenes from third base.
With the Rams ahead 5-3, German came into the game in relief of Sanchez, whose six innings pitched were a collegiate career high. German retired OLLU in order with only four pitches in the seventh, then struck out the side in the eighth with 11 pitches.
In the ninth, OLLU pinch-hitter Christian Martinez ended German's perfect stretch with a leadoff double. Martinez moved to third base on a groundout, then scored an unearned run on a passed ball. With the bases now empty, German then retired the next two hitters to claim his second save of the season.
The Rams return to action this week when they visit Southern–New Orleans for a three-game series. The Rams and Knights open their series with a doubleheader Saturday, March 21, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Wesley Barrow Stadium.
– HT –
Â
