LAWTON, Okla. – If Tarleton was going to stay in Lawton four extra hours, Blake Burns was certainly not going to be denied the Texans’ 12th victory of the season.
After a four-hour rain delay lingered over a 14-14 tie in the series finale at Cameron, Burns delivered a two-out, two-bagger down the right-field line to bring home Wade Raburn for the game-winning run in the ninth to give Tarleton a 15-14 Sunday night.
In a game that began at 1 p.m. at McCord Field, Tarleton jumped out to a big lead early with a five-run first inning. Burns worked a bases-loaded walk to bring home the first run of the game and then London Green plated a pair with a two-run single through the right side. Jordan Parker tacked on one with an RBI single of his own and then Green stole home for the final run of the frame. Green crossed on a double steal attempt that got the second out at second base.
After Sid Payan worked a scoreless first, Cameron punched back with eight unanswered runs over the next three innings to lead 8-5 after four. Tarleton went on to tie things back at 8-8 with two in the fifth on a bases-loaded balk and hit by pitch, followed by a Burns sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Cameron appeared to have shifted the momentum with a six-run sixth inning, but Tarleton punched right back with one of their own in the seventh – starting with Cody Vannoy’s first collegiate home run to lead off the rally. After three straight walks, Wade Raburn cashed in with a two-run single to plate Zach Mesa and Dean Frew. Three batters later and again with the bases juiced, London Green cashed in with the game-tying three-run triple to tie the game at 14-14.
Luke Baley answered the call on the mound by shutting down the Aggies in the seventh before the rain came and delayed things over four hours.
When the teams resumed, John Bridgeman took the mound and kept the Aggies off the board while the home team failed to match his efforts with the RBI double from Burns to give the Texans the late victory.
Green (5) and Burns (3) combined for eight RBI on the game while each boasting two hits. Raburn had a career-best three hits to lead the team while Tyler Fowler also had a two-hit performance. Young, Vannoy and Parker had one hit each.
Bridgeman earned his second win of the year with two innings of scoreless relief and three strikeouts. Payan, Ty Jones, Tyler Thompson and Baley also handled innings on the mound.
Tarleton will return home next weekend for a four-game series with Lubbock Christian, beginning Friday at 3 p.m.
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