HITS HARD TO COME BY FOR RAMS
March 17, 2006

FORT WORTH, TX:  The Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (9-9) accumulated only five hits in two games against Marietta College (7-4) losing both games of the doubl- dip 1-0 and 5-0.

In game one, Head Coach Mike Jeffcoat showed confidence in Jordan Jones starting him in game one and Jones did not disappoint.  Jones threw four innings, giving up five hits while not allowing a run.  He also struck out two Marietta hitters and walked only one.

Jones twice battled his way out of tough innings getting help from the Rams defense.  In the third inning, he gave up back-to-back one out singles to right field allowing runners on first and third.  Jones then induced Marietta leadoff hitter Ryan Belanger to fly out to left fielder Zach Archer, and Archer fired a strike to catcher Josh Vander Hey to finish a very unorthodox inning ending double play.  Then in the Marietta fourth inning Jones saw trouble again.  Marietta centerfielder Chris Hendricks led off the inning with a single to left field, but was the first out on a 6-4-3 double play.  With two outs Marietta would not go away quietly getting the next two batters around to second and third base before Jones finished off his day by getting Zach Welch to fly out to leftfield.

Caleb Thomas came on in relief of Jordan Jones and pitched two innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out two Marietta batters.  Michael Talley pitched the seventh and final inning for the Rams allowing no runs to score and only two hits.  Thomas took the loss for the Rams dropping his record to 0-3 for the season even though his ERA is only 3.94.

It was a tough day at the plate for the Rams as they only knocked four base hits and left seven runners on base.  Zach Archer, Brandon Frazier, Billie Hicks, and Chris Palmer accounted for the Rams’ four hits as Marietta starter Mike DeMark was on top of his game.

In Game two, things did not get much better as the Rams dropped the nightcap 5-0.  Shea Harrison started the contest for the Rams and saw his 20 scoreless innings streak snapped in the first inning.  In all Harrison pitched three innings allowing four runs (1 earned) on six hits while striking out three.  The bullpen was again strong as Michael Talley, Lance Allred, and Hayden Lackey only allowed Marietta three hits and one run in the final four innings. 

Allred made his Texas Wesleyan and collegiate debut throwing the fifth inning allowing one run on one hit.  In Lackey’s first outing since LSUS he looked sharp allowing only one base runner in his two innings. 

At the plate it was another tough game, as the Rams tasted a bit of bad luck to go along with solid Marietta defense and pitching.  Jason Diaz led off the game and was robbed by Marietta shortstop Zach Welch on a leaping play that would have been a leadoff double.  Travis Clifford ripped a two-out first inning base hit to left field, and that would prove to be the only hit of the game for the Rams.

In the Texas Wesleyan third inning Jason Diaz and Brandon Frazier both were hit by pitches and moved around to third and second respectively with two outs, but the inning ended without any damage to the scoreboard.

The very next inning the Rams had another rally killed by a spectacular defensive play from Marietta.  With two outs Jeff Piaskowski reached on an error by the Marietta shortstop, and Jeremy Howard stepped to the plate.  After fouling off three 3-2 pitches Howard belted a ball to deep left center field only to see it run down by Marietta center fielder Chris Hendricks who made a diving catch at the warning track.

Harrison took the loss to drop his record to 2-1.