CLEBURNE, Texas – Tarleton State Baseball has that dog in them.
 
The Texans fell behind early again, and again it didn't matter, with Tarleton State storming back from three down to walk off Creighton in Cleburne, Texas, 8-7 on Friday.
 
The Texans (6-3) have back-to-back comeback victories, three on the season, with all three comebacks from three runs or more. Tarleton State allowed three runs in the first and trailed 4-1 in the fifth before stringing together a pair of three-run innings and a walk-off RBI single by Sergio Guerra in the ninth.
 
Tarleton State defeated Creighton (2-5) in the first matchup in series history, and in the first game of six at the College Baseball Series at La Moderna Field, home of the Cleburne Railroaders. The Texans are one of four teams in the event, along with Creighton, Texas State and Abilene Christian.
 
Leadoff man Rayner Heinrich led the Texan offense on Friday, going 4-for-5 with two home runs, three RBI and three runs. He countered Creighton's opening three-run inning with a solo shot to lead off the first, then hit a two-run blast in the seventh to tie the game 6-6.
 
Slade McCloud had one of the key at-bats in the game in the fourth, with the Texans gaining momentum with two outs. McCloud capitalized on a two-strike count with two outs, with a double down the right field line to score two, cutting the Texan deficit from 4-1 to 4-3. Brady Englett followed with an RBI single to tie the game.
 
Tarleton State took its first lead in the seventh, scoring on a wild pitch after Heinrich's two-run blast. Creighton answered with one in the eighth, setting up Guerra for his heroics in the ninth. Cage McCloud walked to open the ninth, advanced to second on a passed ball, then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Carson Lorch. Guerra seemingly just needed to put the ball in play, and he did more than that, singling up the middle to score the winning run.
 
Kendyl Johnson was the unsung hero on Friday. He finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored in the ninth spot in the lineup, starting a bases-empty two-out rally in the fifth, then leading off a three-run seventh inning with a double, plus singling with the bases empty and two outs in the eighth to give the Texans a great chance at plating the go-ahead run.
 
On defense, the Texans turned four double plays on the day, plus Jake Tatom had a key play in the eighth inning, throwing out the potential go-ahead run at the plate for Creighton from right field.
 
Brian Panneton got the start for Tarleton State, allowing three earned runs, all in the first, on four hits and two hit batters across two innings. The Texans sent six pitchers to the mound, with Ethan Jaques allowing a run in three innings, Andrew Hardin no runs in one inning, Karsen Davis two runs in one inning, Aden Lucas one run in one inning, and Tai Phetluangsy no runs in one inning. Phetluangsy earned the win, improving to 1-0, with his three-up three-down ninth inning.
 
Creighton had four pitch on Friday, with its starter lasting five innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits with eight strikeouts. The Bluejays outhit Tarleton State 15-10, but the Texans had a 5-0 stolen base advantage from five different players.
 
The Texans will continue play in the College Baseball Series on Saturday against Texas State at La Moderna Field at 6 p.m.