RAMS STING SCORPIONS
April 29, 2008

Box Score

BROWNSVILLE, TX:  Strong pitching and timely hitting turned into a first round win for the 19th ranked Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (38-12) at the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament.  The Rams topped the host team UT-Brownsville (22-31) by a score of 3-1.

The Rams struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the third.  Jerry Fisher led off with a single, and later scored on a base hit from Brandon Frazier.  With Ben Kliever at third and Frazier at first, the Rams then executed a double steal to push one more run across.

The Scorpions threatened in the bottom of the third, but Aaron Wimpee pitched around a bases loaded one out situation.  However, UTB turned a leadoff triple from Ignacio Celedon in the fourth into a run to bring the score to 2-1.

The Rams answered immediately with a leadoff double from Fisher and an RBI single from Mikey Valdez in the fifth.

In the bottom of the seventh, Antoine Cole saved a run by throwing the Scorpion’s courtesy runner, Alexis DeJesus, out at the plate for the final out of the inning.

Aaron Wimpee improved to 8-0 on the season after allowing one run on six hits while striking out three in six innings of work.

Hayden Lackey came on relief of Wimpee in the seventh, making his NAIA record tying 101st career appearance.  Lackey tied the record held by Viterbo’s Michael Iverson (2002-05).

Joey Evans recorded the game’s final four outs to pick up his fifth save of the season.

Fisher led the Rams at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored.  Taylor Miller added a pair of hits.

The Rams will move on and play third seeded Huston-Tillotson University who fell 14-7 to fourth seeded Northwood in the tournament’s opening game.  That second round contest is scheduled for a 6:00 p.m. start on Wednesday.