Box Score

     FORT WORTH, Texas – Texas Wesleyan (5-2) overcame a late rush from the visiting Howard Payne Yellow Jackets (2-1) Tuesday afternoon at LaGrave Field, 11-10.

     Defensive lapses allowed the Yellow Jackets to stay in the game as the Rams committed a season high five errors including a costly error in the ninth that permitted Howard Payne to come within one run of tying the game.

     Jason Diaz and Mark Smajstrla each reached base four times on a single and three walks apiece. The top of the batting order, they also accounted for three of the team’s runs.

     Catchers Josh Vander Hey and Ken Russell combined to account for four runs.

     Wesleyan took advantage early when Vander Hey hit a leadoff triple into centerfield to lead off the second inning, showing good wheels for a backstop.

     Howard Payne did a good job manufacturing runs all afternoon as thirteen of their seventeen hits came as singles.

     Pitcher Shea Harrison limited the opposition to two runs on five hits over five innings while striking out four

     The Rams led 7-3 through six innings before the Yellow Jackets started to rally. The visiting team scored one run in the seventh followed by two more in the eighth to cut the Wesleyan lead to one run.

     In the bottom half of the eighth inning, Jason Vaughn walked then was advanced to second base when Zach Archer hit a single off Yellow Jacket pitcher Doug Wren. Russell knocked in both men on a double to the wall. Billie Hicks’ single scored Russell to pad the Rams lead to four runs going into the ninth inning.

     In the Yellow Jacket’s half of the bottom frame, Wren singled, but was then caught off base when first baseman Travis Clifford stabbed a hard hit ball from reserve catcher Jose Sierra. But Howard Payne proceeded to make a desperate run to force extra innings, scoring three runs with two outs before David Hinson induced third baseman Craig Simpson into popping up to Clifford for the game’s final out.

     Texas Wesleyan plays again Wednesday February 16 against the 4-0 Oklahoma City University Stars. Game one of the doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. All home games are played at LaGrave Field.