Box Score

     FORT WORTH, Texas - Texas Wesleyan won the third game of the series with College of the Southwest, 9-3, Sunday afternoon at LaGrave Field. The Rams pounded out 16 hits and scored five runs in the seventh inning to take the series victory after splitting a doubleheader with Mustangs on Saturday.

     Texas Wesleyan (13-13, 2-1 RRAC) opened the scoring in the first inning when catcher Matt Putman ripped the first pitch he saw from College of the Southwest starting pitcher Justin Brown over the left-centerfield wall to put the Rams up, 2-0. Centerfielder Mark Smajstrla, who led the game off with a double to right-centerfield, scored on the blast. After a groundout by first baseman Travis Clifford, right fielder Eric Vaughn doubled to left field. Right fielder Jason Diaz singled in Vaughn to push the Ram lead to 3-0.

     College of the Southwest (12-10, 1-2 RRAC) fought back, scoring a run in the third inning. With one out center fielder Scott Williams ripped a line drive to left field that hit off of Vaughn's glove and Williams ended up on second base. Left fielder Micah Pennies then ripped a 1-2 offering from Ram starting pitcher Ryan Cowgell to score Williams from second and cut the deficit to 3-1.

     In the fifth inning, the Rams increased their lead, scoring one run. Clifford struck out to lead off the inning, but Mustang catcher Greg Taylor overthrew first base and Clifford advanced all the way to third base. Vaughn followed with a single to left field to put the Rams up, 4-1.

     The Mustangs got two runs back in the sixth inning on a two-run home run by designated hitter Eric Jennings to cut the Ram lead to 4-3.

     In the bottom of the seventh, the Ram offense exploded for five runs off of six consecutive hits. Diaz picked up a RBI, while designated hitter Jarod Baker and Smajstrla both had two RBI each.

     Wesleyan reliever David Hinson came in to pick up the save, allowing two hits, while striking out three batters in the final three innings of the ballgame.

     "David has been doing a good job of throwing strikes," head coach Mike Jeffcoat said. "He is also throwing his breaking ball over the plate and is improving with each outing. He has really stepped up this season and been that arm we weren't expecting."

     Cowgell (2-0) picked up the victory in his first start of the season. The Burleson, Texas native, allowed two runs on five hits, while striking out three batters in six innings of work.

     "Ryan did a great job in his first start," Jeffcoat said. "This was the first time all season that he has thrown more than three innings and he stepped it up for us today."

     Justin Brown (3-2) suffered the loss for the Mustangs, allowing three earned runs off of 10 hits, while striking two batters in five innings of work.

     Diaz led the Rams going 4-for-4 at the plate with 2 RBI, while Vaughn went 3-for-5 with one RBI and two runs scored.

     "We have been getting one or two hits in an inning, but haven't been able to string a lot of them together," Jeffcoat said. "This game we got six hits in a row in the seventh inning and that really blew the game wide open. It is always great to win the final game of the series regardless what happens in the first two."

     Texas Wesleyan will be back in action Sunday when they travel to take on Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. The single game is set for 2 p.m.