STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton baseball swept a doubleheader over the New Mexico State Aggies on Saturday afternoon, completing the series sweep on a thrilling day at the Tarleton Baseball Complex.
The sweep was the Texans (21-16, 6-10 WAC) first conference sweep of the season with the last one dating back to May 13-15 in the 2022 season when they swept the SFA Lumberjacks at home.
Game two experienced an hour long lightning delay with the game in the bottom of the first inning and the Texans leading the Aggies (9-26, 7-14 WAC) 1-0.
Game 1: Tarleton 9, NM State 7
Both the Texans and Aggies finished the first game of the day with 10 hits.
Tarleton's scoring came in three consecutive innings. They plated four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, followed by a lone run in the sixth.
NM State took an early lead, scoring four of their own off five hits in the top of the fourth to go up 4-0. The Texans instantly responded to tie the game in the bottom half with five hits of their own.
Alec Williams started the scoring for the Texans with a two-run triple down the right field line.
Kooper Shook then scored Williams on an infield single in the next at bat to make it 4-3. A
Mason Hammonds sacrifice fly to score Shook tied the game at four.
NM State grabbed the lead back with one run in the fifth but that was no matter for Tarleton as they took the lead for good in the bottom half as two wild pitches and a NM State error helped the Texans gain an 8-5 lead.
Both teams plated a run in the sixth with the Aggies scoring on a sacrifice fly and the Texans on
Trace Morrison's first career home run, an opposite field shot over the left field wall.
Dylan Delvecchio (W, 2-2) picked up the win on the mound as he threw 5.0 innings allowing five runs on seven hits, striking out five and walking one.
Isiah Campa threw 3.0 innings of one run baseball in relief and
Zane Badmaev closed the game out in the ninth to pick up his first save of the season.
Jordan Andrade had two hits and two RBI, Williams had two RBI and two runs scored while
Dylan Kurahashi-Choy Foo finished with two hits and two runs scored and Morrison added two hits.
Game 2: Tarleton 3, NM State 2
Game two of the day saw the Texans and Aggies play a chunk of the game in heavy rain.
The Texan pitching staff and defense held NM State to just two runs on two hits throughout the game.
Tarleton jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as
Cris Enriquez hit an RBI infield groundout to score
Trace Morrison who previously singled up the middle.
The Texans went up 3-0 in the bottom of the second as
Mason Hammonds hit a two-run single up the middle to stretch the Texan lead.
Devon Patel got the start and threw 3.1 innings allowing a lone run without giving up a hit.
Grant Garza (W, 3-2) earned the win in relief, tossing 1.2 innings not allowing a hit or run and striking out one.
Freshman
Reece Elston entered and picked up a 4.0 inning save, his first of the season. The Stephenville native allowed a lone run in his 4,0 innings of work as he struck out two, walked two and ensured Tarleton left the night happy.
Jack Wagner finished with two hits to lead the way.
NEXT UP
The Texans now turn their attention to the Baylor Bears as they play a midweek game at Baylor Ballpark on Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m.
