RAMS TAKE 4th CONFERENCE SERIES SWEEP:

COLE DONS JACKIE ROBINSON'S #42
April 15, 2007

Box Score - Game One

Box Score - Game Two

FORT WORTH, TX:  The 15th ranked Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (32-6) improved to 12-0 in conference play by sweeping a fourth Red River Athletic Conference series this weekend.  The Rams completed a three-game sweep of Southwestern Assemblies of God (9-23, 3-6 RRAC) by taking both ends of a doubleheader on Sunday.  Texas Wesleyan took game one 13-2 and game two 6-4.

On the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s major league debut, Texas Wesleyan’s Antoine Cole took the field wearing Robinson’s #42 on his back.  Cole, a junior outfielder from Shreveport, LA, went 3-for-3 with an inside the park home run and three runs scored in game one. 

The Rams scored in the first on an RBI double from Chris Palmer.  After SAGU tied the game at one in the top of the second, the Rams batted around and plated four runs in the bottom of the frame.  Texas Wesleyan broke the game wide open in the third inning by sending eleven men to the plate and scoring seven runs on seven hits.

Both teams plated single runs in the fourth inning to account for the 13-2 final score.

Ryan Riddle improved to 7-0 with a complete game (five inning) performance.  He allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out eight.

Things got more interesting in game two.  Jason Diaz led off the bottom of the first with a single and scored on a double from Brandon Frazier to tie the game at one.  With one out in the second, SAGU walked the bases loaded and Frazier followed a sac fly from Diaz with a two run double to give the Rams a 4-1 advantage.

The Lions scored an unearned run in the fourth, but the Rams got that run back in the bottom of the inning.  SAGU pulled within a single run (5-4) in the fifth with an RBI double from Fidel Lopez and an RBI single from Scottie Smith.

With runners at first and third and two outs in the seventh, the Rams used heads up base running to get an insurance run.  Ross Elmore broke from first and intentionally got in a run-down allowing Diaz to score from third.

SAGU did not go quietly in the ninth.  The Lions loaded the bases with two outs, but Hayden Lackey settled himself and struck out Joe Davila to end the game.

Caleb Thoma (9-1) got the win after allowing four runs, three earned, on eight hits in five innings pitched.  Lackey worked two innings, allowing no runs on two hits while striking out five to pick up his nation leading 11th save of the season.

Frazier went 3-for-3 with three doubles and three RBI for Texas Wesleyan.

Because Monday’s game scheduled with USAO has been canceled, the Rams will return to action on Tuesday when they host LSU-Shreveport in a doubleheader beginning at 4:00 p.m.