RAMS OPEN WITH WIN
May 1, 2007

Box Score

FORT WORTH, TX:  The 17th ranked Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (36-8) opened play in the Red River Athletic Conference tournament with a 9-6 win over Huston-Tillotson (32-19) at Sycamore Park on Tuesday.

The game was moved from the Northwood University campus to Texas Wesleyan in an attempt to get all three opening round games in after rain delayed today’s start.  However, today’s second game on the Northwood campus was not played.  That gives the Rams an off day on Wednesday, although they will play two games on Thursday.

In today’s game, Texas Wesleyan, the visiting team on the scoreboard, plated two runs in the first inning without getting a hit.  Texas Wesleyan capitalized on a hit batter, walk, wild pitch, and error to go ahead 2-0.  In the third, Brandon Frazier led off with a single, and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  He then stole third and scored when the throw went into left field.

Texas Wesleyan got back-to-back doubles from Taylor Miller and Antoine Cole in the fourth.  They added an RBI single from Frazier to bring the score to 5-0.

Huston-Tillotson broke up the shutout in the sixth with a two-run single from Jonathan Paiz.  Texas Wesleyan answered immediately by batting around in the top of the seventh.  The three-run rally was highlighted by a two-run double from Cole.

Texas Wesleyan tacked on a run in the eight and led 9-2 going into the ninth inning.  Huston-Tillotson sent nine hitters to the plate in the bottom of the ninth.  They scored four runs on six hits, but it was too little too late and Texas Wesleyan held on for the win.

Jesse Wright (3-0) got the win with four scoreless innings.  He allowed just two hits while striking two and walking none.  Zed Anigwe suffered the loss after surrendering three runs, two earned, on one hit and four walks in 2.2 innings pitched.

Billie Hicks went 3-for-3 at the plate for Texas Wesleyan.  Cole added a 2-for-4 day with two doubles, three RBI, and run scored.

Texas Wesleyan returns to action at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday.  They will take on the winner of tomorrow morning’s game between Houston Baptist University and Northwood University.  Thursday’s game will be played on the Northwood University campus in Cedar Hill, TX.