Texans drop series finale to LCU

17BASEvsUAFS_Kizer5 — Courtesy Tarleton Athletics

Special to The Flash
TarletonSports.com

STEPHENVILLE (March 18, 2017) – Tarleton baseball fell in the final game of a three-game series against No. 27 Lubbock Christian, 6-4.

The Texans (16-8) scattered 11 hits, but left 10 men on base in another two-run ball game against the Chaps. All three games of the series were decided by two runs, as LCU won the series 2-1.

Lubbock Christian had four singles in the first inning, but only managed one run on an RBI single up the middle. In the bottom half of the opening frame, last night’s hero Jake Hasbrouck doubled off the left center wall to score Blake Adams and tie the game at 1-1. Hasbrouck was perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a run, RBI and a walk.

The Texans took their only lead of the game in the second inning when Stacy Heinatz led off with a solo home run down the left field line. It was the first home run of the season for Heinatz, who went 1-for3 with a walk to go with the home run.

After LCU tied the game up in the top of the third, the Chaps took over the lead with two runs on three hits in the fourth inning. A two-run home run in the sixth inning gave LCU a 6-2 lead.

In the fifth, Adams led off the inning with a triple and later scored on Dylan Lemon’s line drive single to center. Adams went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the game.

Tarleton was able to add another run in the eighth inning when Jon Tauzin scored Hasbrouck on a ground out. The Texans had the bases loaded with two outs in the eighth inning, but an LCU strike out ended the last scoring threat for Tarleton.

For the Tarleton offense, Austin Call was one of three Texans with multi-hit games, going 2-for-5 at the plate. Garret Kizer and Jake Shelby also added hits.

Colby Fowler took the loss on the mound, falling to 2-2 on the season after throwing three innings, giving up four runs on two strike outs. Matt Herrick came on in relief to throw three innings, giving up one earned run and struck out three. Conner Fletcher tossed two scoreless innings and Eli McLane pitched a scoreless ninth.

The Texans will open Lone Star Conference play on the road with a four-game series against Texas A&M-Kingsville beginning Friday, March 24 at 6 p.m.