RAMS SPLIT WITH MARIETTA
March 16, 2007

Box Score - Game One

Box Score - Game Two

FORT WORTH, TX:  The Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (16-4) split a doubleheader with defending NCAA Division III National Champion Marietta College (7-3) on Friday.  The Rams took game one 3-1, but fell in the nightcap 2-1.

Pitching ruled the day.  Texas Wesleyan’s Ryan Riddle did not give up a hit until Tony Piconke led off the fourth inning with a single.

The Rams got one run in the second when Taylor Miller led off with a single, and Billie Hicks ripped a double down the right field line.  Miller then scored on a ground ball from Chris Palmer.

Singles from Dominick Winters and Ryan Eschbaugh tied the game at one in the top of the fifth, but Jason Diaz delivered a clutch two-out two-run triple in the bottom of the frame to put the Rams ahead 3-1.

Riddle (3-0) worked six innings and allowed one run on four hits while striking out five.  Hayden Lackey allowed one hit and struck out two in one inning to nail down his Texas Wesleyan record seventh save of the season.  Jason Baumler (2-1) took the loss after allowing three runs on four hits in 4.2 innings of work.

In game two, Marietta loaded the bases with one out in the first inning, but Weston Wood buckled down and got out of the jam unscathed.  A leadoff walk in the second led to the first run of the game for the Pioneers.

The Rams used a leadoff single from Taylor Miller and took advantage of one of five Marietta errors to tie the game in the fifth inning.  The game remained tied until Cameron Cimino led off the top of the ninth with a single and scored on a two-out single from Chris Beatty.

Texas Wesleyan out hit Marietta nine to five, but the Rams left 13 runners on base in the contest.

Nate Eschbaugh (1-0) worked 3.2 scoreless innings for his first win.  Caleb Thomas (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing one run on two hits in three innings of work.

Brandon Frazier went 3-for-4 in game two.  Josh Vander Hey added a pair of walks.