TEXARKANA, TEXAS (March 18, 2017) – The Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) Saints baseball team lost its series with the Texas A&M University-Texarkana (TAMUT) Eagles, dropping two of three games this weekend.

The Saints' extra-innings loss to the Eagles in game three dropped them to 10-15 on the season, including a 4-3 record in conference play. TAMUT improved to 15-12 and 7-2 in conference.

"We played tough all weekend and showed a lot of fight. We still need to clean up a few things this week in practice, but we played well enough to win the series," Head Coach Jeremy Flores said. "Our hitters are starting to make the necessary adjustments at the plate and our bullpen once again kept us in ball games and gave us a chance to win." 

Game One

In a back-and-forth game, the Saints survived a three-run seventh inning from the Eagles to hold on for the 11-10 win to open the series. OLLU finished with 13 hits and committed one error to TAMUT's 15 hits and one error.

Brandon Cogbill (SR/Lake Dallas, Texas) got the start for OLLU, giving up seven earned runs and nine hits while striking out six hitters in four innings.

TAMUT struck first, scoring Kolton Perfect on a single to left from Zachary Boehler in the bottom of the first. After the Saints responded with a RBI single from Russell Brown (JR/San Antonio, Texas) in their next at-bat, the Eagles got a two-RBI single from Cameron Frost for a 3-1 lead.

Matt Beasley (SR/Burleson, Texas), Jacob Pool (SO/Leander, Texas) and Orlando Collado (SR/Bronx, N.Y.) all reached to start the top of the third inning for the Saints, setting the table for Jose Diaz (FR/Pinar del Rio, Cuba)'s grand slam home run to give OLLU a 5-3 lead.

The Eagles scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth, highlighted by a two-run home run from Frost to right off Cogbill, who was relieved by Caleb Mireles (JR/Del Rio, Texas) to start the next inning.

The Saints picked up two runs on RBIs from Connor Kalisky (SR/San Antonio, Texas) and Xavier Solis (FR/Victoria, Texas) in the fifth inning; three runs in the sixth inning on a RBI double from Bealsey, a RBI single from Collado and RBI single from Diaz; and one run in the seventh inning on a RBI double from Brown.

TAMUT rallied in its final at-bat, getting a two-run home run off Chase Smith (SR/La Porte, Texas), who started the inning on the mound, and a RBI double from Perfect to get within one before Jesus Ramirez (SO/Quitman, Texas) replaced Mireles to end the game, inducing a groundout from Cade Thomason.

Diaz finished the game 3-for-4 with five RBIs and two runs scored. Brown was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and one run scored. Collado finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored.

Mireles picked up the win, pitching two shutout innings, giving up only two hits. Ramirez picked up the save.

Game Two

The Eagles scored six runs in their final two at-bats to put the game out of reach in their 9-2 victory over the Saints.

Jordan Hackett (JR/San Antonio, Texas) got the start for OLLU, striking out four batters and giving up eight hits, five runs (four earned) and two home runs in 6.1 innings to pick up the loss.

OLLU struck first, scoring Collado as Kalisky was picked off at first base.

Darren Alexander responded with a two-RBI double for the Eagles, later scoring on a wild throw for the 3-1 lead. On the Saints' next at-bat, Collado scored on an error.

TAMUT got a home run from Frost and Thomason in the seventh inning and scored four more in the eighth.

Collado hit 2-for-4 and scored two runs. Solis was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Oigres Garcia (JR/Laredo, Texas) pitched 1.2 innings, giving up four earned runs off four hits.

Game Three

Cade Davis hit a walk-off RBI single for the Eagles, who clinched the series with a 6-5 win in 13 innings over the Saints.

TAMUT got 12 hits and committed two errors, while the Saints had 13 hits and committed three errors. JB Martinez (SO/San Antonio, Texas) got the start for OLLU, giving up five runs (four earned) off six hits in six innings.

The Eagles got off to a quick start, scoring two runs off two hits in the bottom of the first. OLLU responded with one run, scoring Collado off a RBI single from Pool in the second.

Collado scored again in the fourth inning on a RBI double from Pool to center. The Saints got two more runs in the fifth inning on a RBI double to center from Mihalov, who scored on Beasley's single to left for a brief 4-2 lead.

The Eagles scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Thomason with two outs. Solis scored to tie the game for the Saints in the seventh inning on a RBI single from Beasley.

Beasley finished 4-for-6 with two RBIs, while Collado finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Pool was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Ramirez and Mireles combined to pitch five scoreless innings for the Saints. Mireles closed the game, giving up three hits, one walk and the game-winning run.

What's next

The Saints will play a four-game home stand next week. On Tuesday, March 21, the Saints will take a break from conference play to host NCAA Division III Trinity University at 6 p.m. OLLU will resume conference play with a three-game series against LSU-Shreveport from March 24-25, with the doubleheader taking place on the second day.

Our Lady of the Lake University is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2016-2017 as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The University began competing in the NAIA in men's soccer and volleyball in 2007. A year later, they added women's soccer, golf and tennis. In 2009, the Saints began competing in cross-country, softball and basketball. In 2014, OLLU added two more sports — baseball and track and field. There are now 13 intercollegiate athletic teams at OLLU. All athletic alumni and up to two family members will receive free admission to basketball and volleyball games throughout the season. Baseball is not included in this special offer. All other home games are free and open to the public.