DALLAS, Texas- Texan Baseball held their own against No. 8 in the nation DBU, but fell short in the bottom of the 10th.
Tarleton State (15-14, 5-7 WAC) saw extra innings against Dallas Baptist (24-4, 5-1 C-USA) in a midweek battle Tuesday evening at Horner Ballpark.
The Texans were fierce competitors at the plate leading the Patriots after a big three-run inning in the third to give the visitors a leg up on DBU. A tied ballgame at 5-5 in the eighth inning called for extras where Tarleton State continued to fight back at the plate with a couple of runs but a walk-off three-run home run from the home team in the bottom of the 10th inning shut the door on a massive upset.
Freshman
Parrish Beagle got the start for the Purple and White with 2.0 innings on the mound, giving up one run on two hits, one walk and one strikeout.
Zach Poe (L, 2-1) took his first loss of the season as the closer for the evening gave up two runs on two hits, no walks and no strikeouts in 0.0 innings.
Jerrod Jenkins started on the bump for the Patriots giving up three runs on no hits, two walks and one strikeout in 2.2 innings. Nick Wilson (W, 4-2) saw 3.2 innings on the mound, giving up two runs on three hits, no walks and four strikeouts.
Tarleton State compiled seven runs on nine hits with a home run from
Tyson Drake for his sixth of the season and a pair of stolen bases from Drake (1) and
Cole Miears (1).
The Patriots finished the evening with eight runs on eight hits with three home runs and a double.
In the second inning DBU was first to the board as the leadoff hitter was hit by a pitch to put a runner on for the home team. A single to left field and a wild pitch placed two runners in scoring position with a walk loading the bases for the Patriots. A double play tallied two outs for the Texans, but the leadoff runner came home to put DBU up 1-0.
The Purple and White took the reins in the top of the third as
Ike Shirey walked and
Sergio Guerra was hit by a pitch to put a pair of runners on for the Texans. A sacrifice bunt from
Jordan Andrade saw both runners in scoring position. A groundout from
Mason Hammonds made room for Shirey to put Tarleton State on the board. Guerra took the lead for the visitors as he came home on a passed ball. Another couple of batters hit in the box loaded the bases for the Purple and White. Miears stole second and Drake capitalized on a throwing error from the catcher to tally the third run for the Texans for a two-run lead.
In the top of the sixth with one out recorded, Shirey singled to right field. Following the second out of the inning, a wild pitch saw Shirey advance to second. An RBI single from Andrade brought Shirey across the plate again to bring the score to 4-1 in favor of Tarleton State.
Drake was first in the box to kickstart the seventh and fulfilled his role as the leadoff hitter for the inning with a homer over the right field wall for his sixth of the season. A pair of runners were left stranded, leaving the top of the inning with the Patriots at a four-run deficit.
DBU's Grant Jay followed in Drake's lead and started off the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run to tally the second run for the Patriots.
In the bottom of the eighth, the home team found some fight with a three-run home run from the Patriot's Ethan Mann to tie things up at five a piece.
A scoreless ninth forced extra innings.
Trace Morrison led off the 10th inning with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Kooper Shook singled on a bunt to advance Morrison and shortly after moved into scoring position to see two Texans in a dangerous spot for DBU. A two RBI single from Shirey brought life back to the Purple and White to regain the lead as Shook and Morrison came home, reflecting a 7-5 score in favor of the visitors.
The bottom of the inning saw the leadoff walked to put a runner on for DBU. A single to left placed a second runner on and set things up perfectly for Luke Heefner. With a 1-0 count, Heefner launched a walk off three- run homer over the right field wall to secure the victory for the Patriots by one run at 8-7.
Tarleton State will be back in action Friday as the Texans host Seattle U for a weekend series. Game 1 will begin at 6 p.m. The second game will see a 3 p.m. start time on Saturday and the series finale will take place Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
