- Box Score - Game 1
- Box Score - Game 2
STEPHENVILLE – The No. 27 Tarleton baseball team defeated UT-Permian Basin in both games of the doubleheader Saturday. The Texans won the first contest 2-0 and the second by a score of 11-4.
Nathan Lewis was phenomenal on the mound in the first game, while Tarleton collected 11 runs on 12 hits in the nightcap.
GAME 1 – Tarleton 2, UPB 0
In game one, third baseman Junnior Dishmey got the Texans on the board quickly in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI single to left, scoring leftfielder Ethan Stuckly from second.
Dishmey provided Tarleton with their second running just an inning later with a perfectly executed bunt single to the right side of the infield, plating second baseman Landon McCall, who had singled to lead off the second.
The Texans threatened the Falcons even further in the inning by loading the bases with two outs, but would not be able to capitalize any more in the inning.
Tarleton's starter Lewis had a perfect game going into the last inning, when the lead-off batter for UTPB spoiled perfection with a single to center. Closer Ryan Turner was brought in to prevent any rally from the Falcons.
Turner was able to do just that, getting the final two outs via strikeout and leaving two UTPB runners stranded. He earned his seventh save of the year for his efforts as Tarleton defeated the Falcons in game one, 2-0.
Lewis (5-1) was lights-out on the mound, tossing six perfect innings, giving up just two hits, both in the seventh. He also picked up five k's while not allowing a single walk.
Dishmey led the Texans offensively, driving in both of Tarleton RBI's during this 3-for-3 performance. Stuckly and Zane Hensley also had two-hit games for the Texans, who recorded eight hits as a team.
Game 2 – Tarleton 11, UTPB 4
In the second game of the day, Tarleton jumped out to another early lead on a Mark Jeffery two-run home run to leftfield in the bottom of the first inning.
The Falcons managed their first run of the day in the third with a two-out, RBI single to left, cutting the Texans' lead to just one run.
Tarleton looked poised to add to their lead in the bottom of the third when they loaded the bases, but again, the Falcons were able to escape unharmed.
Casazza led off the fourth inning with a solo blast to left-center, pushing the Texans' advantage to 3-1.
UTPB got the run right back though in the next half inning with another RBI single to left, making it 3-2 in favor of Tarleton.
Casazza wasn't done with his day yet and in the fifth, hit another deep shot to left that cleared the fences for a two-run home run. The homer marked Casazza's second blast of the day and 12th on the season. It also gave the Texans a 5-2 lead heading into the sixth inning.
Dishmey and Hensley provided Tarleton with two more runs on an RBI double and an RBI single respectively in the bottom of the sixth. Centerfielder capped that off with a two-run single to left, giving Tarleton a comfortable 9-2 lead.
The Falcons were able to score two runs in the top of the eighth after leading off the inning with three straight singles.
The Texans added two runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it 11-4, and that would be the final in Tarleton's second victory of the day.
Reliever Jake Sowell (2-0) picked up the win after going 4 1/3 innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on five hits. Starter Ryan Salt had a similar line with 4 2/3 innings, two runs allowed on five hits. Both Texans combined to hold the Falcons to just four runs in the game.
Casazza led Tarleton with three RBI's and went 2-of-5 from the plate. Rainey and Jeffery both drove in a pair of runs, while Jeffery also scored three times. The Texans combined for 12 hits in the game.
Connor Lewis (2-6) suffered the loss for UTPB after giving up five runs on seven hits in five innings of work.
Tarleton (23-7) will next travel to Abilene Tuesday, April 5 to face Hardin Simmons for the first game of the season series.
