STEPHENVILLE – Blake Burns had two home runs, including a grand slam, while driving in a career-high nine RBI to lead Tarleton to a series win over UT Permian Basin 17-6 in seven innings Saturday afternoon.
 
After the Falcons struck first with two in the opening inning, Burns turned the game around with a three-run, opposite-field home run off the left field net protecting Washington Street to put the Texans on top 3-2.
 
That score remained through the second until UTPB tied it with one in the third. Tarleton had a quick answer in their half of the third when Burns doubled to right field and later scored on a wild pitch with a Luke Morton RBI fielder's choice sandwiched in between for a three-run inning and a 6-3 Tarleton lead.
 
UTPB answered back with three runs over the next two innings to knot the score back even at 6-6, but Tarleton would respond with 11 unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth to break it open.
 
Tyler Fowler and Burns both cashed in with bases-loaded opportunities in the fifth. Fowler cleared the bases with a three-run double to right to put the Texans back in front at 9-6 and Burns opened the flood gates with his second home run of the game – a grand slam to left field to make it 13-6 after five.
 
Tarleton continued to pour it on in the sixth with a single through the right side from London Green and a sacrifice fly from Burns, which was just a few feet shy of his second grand slam of the day. Morton capped off the scoring with a two-run single to bring the game to its final score.
 
The three senior captains – Fowler, Burns, and Morton – combined for 15 of Tarleton's 16 RBI on the game. Burns led the way with three hits and nine RBI while Fowler and Morton had two hits and three RBI each. Morton also stole his first career base in the game.
 
Green and Zach Mesa also had two hit games while Dean Frew, Jordan Parker, and Corey Young had one-hit each to round out Tarleton's 14-hit offensive attack.
 
Luke Baley earned his first career victory on the bump with three innings of flawless relief. The junior right-hander faced less than the minimum number of batters in his three innings of work. During his first batter of the game, Cody Vannoy threw out a steal attempt at second base – which was the third assist from behind the dish on the day from Vannoy – and then Baley sat down the next eight in a row to close out the game. Hunter Thomas, Tyler Thompson and Michael Pilato combined for the four innings with five strikeouts.
 
Tomorrow's game will be moved up to 11 a.m. due to inclement weather. The Texans will look for the series sweep against the Falcons in a nine-inning game.