SAN ANTONIO (March 24, 2018) – The Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) Saints baseball team won one of three games against Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) opponent Texas A&M University – Texarkana (TAMUT). In the first game behind phenomenal pitching from Jordan Hackett, the Saints delivered the Eagles their first conference loss after a 1-0 14-inning game. In the second game, the Saints lost 3-0 and in the final game, the Saints lost 6-3.

The Saints are now 15-19 overall and 7-5 in conference, while the Eagles – the No. 21 team in the NAIA, move to 24-7 overall and 11-1 in conference.

The Saints are 5-4 against the Eagles. Last year, the Saints won their first game 11-10 and lost the second one 2-9. The teams played 13 innings in their last game of 2017 – then the most innings played by the Saints – but the Eagles secured that win 6-5.

Game One

The Eagles threatened to score in the second inning after Bronson Butcher reached first on a throwing error by Jose Diaz. Zach Boehler got to base on a hit up the middle, but Hackett was able to get out of the inning unscathed.

The Saints closed out the second with two hits, first from Mitchell, and Robert Lopez hit to centerfield. Eagles pitcher Nate McGhee also came out of that inning not allowing a run.

The game went hitless through the fifth inning when Boehler hit a single and then went to second on a Saints' error. Hackett struck out the next batter and Kolton Perfect grounded out to end the inning.

In the sixth inning, Bobby Kramer got to base for the Eagles, but the Saints were able to get out of that inning. The Saints followed with two hits to end the sixth inning. Ramsey hit to right and Brown hit to the opposite side, and once again McGhee was able to come out of the inning with no harm.

Mitchell hit again in the seventh, and Kramer hit the game's only extra base hit in the ninth. At the end of the ninth, Daniel Anciso hit to right, recording his ninth consecutive game of getting a hit. Unfortunately, the Saints came out scoreless at the end of the inning and the teams went into extra innings.

Logan Garza went in relief of Hackett in the 13^th inning. Kolton Perfect got to base on a hit, but Garza was able to get out of the inning with no runs.

In the bottom of the 14^th inning, Brown sent the ball to center field and a balk from Eagles pitcher Michael Herrera sent him to second. Alec Martinez singled to left and Brown was able to score the winning run.

Garza earned the win after pitching two innings allowing one hit and striking out two, while walking none. Hackett pitched 12 innings and allowed four hits while striking out nine and walking none.

Brown led the way going 2-6, scoring one run. Martinez went 1-6, adding one RBI. Mitchell went 2-4.

Game Two

In the second game, JB Martinez had a stellar outing. He held the Eagle's offense to no runs until the bottom of the fifth inning. A wild throw from Diaz assisted Keone McKee with getting on base and resulted in Chase Beebe scoring the first run of the game. A double to left field from Kramer scored McKee and Davis Wilson. Caleb Mireles came into the game as the relief and the Eagles were shut down, but not before bringing the score to 0-3.

The Eagles' offense fell silent after their powerful fifth inning. Tony Esparza came in to pitch during the sixth inning. He shut down the Eagles and held them to no hits. Triston Scherer replaced Esparza in the middle of the seventh inning and closed out the game. The Saints fell to the Eagles, 0-3.

JB Martinez suffered the loss after pitching 4.2 innings allowing three hits and three runs.

Anciso led the Saints on offense after going 2-4. 

Game Three

The first inning was a pitcher's duel with both teams ending the inning scoreless. In the top of the second inning, the Eagles struck first. A double from Bronson Butcher and pinch running from Heath Eubanks gave the Eagles the offensive upper hand. A single from Beebe scored Eubanks and brought the score to 0-1 in favor of the Eagles.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Saints answered back. Anciso, who has been an offensive powerhouse this season, blasted a double to deep right-center field. A single from Diaz scored Anciso and evened up the score 1-1.

The top of the fifth inning ruled in favor of the Eagles. With runners at first and second, Scherer came in to pitch for the Saints and replaced Ty Cook. Scherer loaded the bases by walking Cade Thomason. A hard hit ball to third base resulted in a misplayed grounder, which scored Kramer and brought the score to 1-3. Boehler scored off of an infield hit that resulted in a double play for the Saints. The Saints stopped the Eagles' offensive threat by executing a double play.

To start off the seventh inning, Boehler doubled to right-center field. A pitching change from the Saints brought Garza to the mound to replace Scherer. Hawkins pinch hit for Holliday and singled to right, which resulted in Boehler scoring for the Eagles. Holliday reentered the game to run the bases and play left field for the Eagles. Gugino doubled for the Eagles and brought in Holliday to bring the score to 1-5.

The Eagles provided themselves with one more run at the bottom of the eighth inning when Perfect scored off of a single up the middle from Boehler. The Saints answered back in the bottom of the eighth inning. Xavier Solis singled to left field placing a run on the bases for the Saints. Nick Ludwig came up to pinch hit for Brown and smashed a homerun over left field to bring the score to 3-6. The Saints fell to the Eagles, 3-6.

Ty Cook suffered the loss after pitching four innings, allowing six hits and three runs while striking out three. 

Diaz went 3-5 and had one RBI. Ludwig went 1-1, adding one run and two RBIs. Enrique Ruiz III went 2-3. Xavier Solis went 1-1 and had one run.

Up Next

The Saints will play a nonconference nine-inning game against Texas A&M University – Kingsville on March 27 in Kingsville, Texas. March 30-31, the Saints will return to their Red River Athletic Conference schedule for a three-game series against LSU-Shreveport.