TYLER – Tarleton suffered a series loss on opening weekend as the Texans suffered a similar fate to opening night in game to of the series to UT Tyler. The Texans lost 6-2 after a four-run sixth inning sparked the Patriots.
Similar to Friday night, the first five innings saw the teams locked in a pitcher’s duel with Tarleton on top after the fifth.
Hunter Thomas got the start and was superb with five innings of work, over which he allowed one run on five hits and two walks while striking out three. His offense scored both of Tarleton’s runs during Thomas’ time on the mound – a wild pitch in the third that allowed Cody Vannoy to score from third and an RBI double from Wade Raburn in the fifth – and Thomas left the game with a 2-1 lead.
The sixth inning proved to be Tarleton’s undoing as a fielding error on the third batter of the inning opened the flood gates. UT Tyler hit a one-out double before the error allowed the runner to score from second and then the Patriots took the lead on an RBI single on the next batter. Following a groundout that should have ended the inning, UT Tyler tacked on two more runs on two walks, a wild pitch and a two-run single to lead 5-2.
UT Tyler would add their final run on a bases-loaded walk in the seventh while Tarleton stranded a runner on in the sixth and eighth innings before bringing the tying run to the plate in the ninth to no avail.
Tarleton’s offense coaxed eight walks in the game while mustering only three hits, including doubles from Raburn and Dylan Antonelli. Blake Burns had the third Tarleton hit of the night. Following Thomas, the Texan pitchers included John Bridgeman, Ty Jones, Devon Patel and Ty Windham. Bridgeman was saddled with the loss in his Tarleton debut.
The Texans will look to avoid the sweep tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the final game of the series at UT Tyler.
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