STEPHENVILLE – Tarleton hit three home runs and pushed across eight runs, but a four-run ninth inning from Washington State was too much for the Texans to overcome in a 9-8 loss on Wednesday night at the Tarleton Baseball Complex.
Tarleton (3-5) headed into the top of the ninth inning with a 7-5 advantage. The Cougars proceeded to single twice, walk four times, get hit by a pitch and chase two Texan relievers from the game to push across four runs and take a 9-7 lead.
Zane Badmaev was saddled with the loss for the Texans after entering the game and giving up four runs in the ninth.
Tarleton threatened in the bottom half of the ninth with Alec Williams leading off with a solo shot to make it a one-run game. The next batter, Dylan Kurahashi-Choy Foo, was hit by a pitch and Kemuel Thomas-Rivera followed that up with a walk to place two runners on base with no outs.
Kade Turnage proceeded to pinch hit for Colby Feris and laid down a sacrifice bunt to push the runners up a base. With runners on second and third and one out in a one-run ballgame, the Texans next two batters struck out to end the game.
Williams and Carter Dobrinski both homered for the first time this season. Williams hit two home runs in the game, a two-run shot in the second inning and a solo shot in the ninth. He finished the game with three hits. Dobrinski hit a grand slam in the first inning to respond to the Cougars (6-3) one spot in the first. He finished with two hits.
Texan starting pitcher Isiah Campa went 4.0 innings allowing four earned runs on six hits, striking out three. Luke Baley and Jake Burcham both made solid appearances out of the bullpen. Baley pitched 2.0 innings allowing no runs on one hit, striking out three. Burcham tossed 2.0 innings allowing no hits and no runs.
The Texans roughed up Cougar starting pitcher Caden Kaelber, chasing him in the first inning after he allowed four runs on three hits.
Tarleton went five innings without a hit, from the third to the seventh. Cougar relievers Kolby Kmetko and Cam Liss combined to pitch 6.0 innings allowing no hits, no runs, striking out 10 Texans.
Washington State’s top half of the order led the way offensively with Kyle Russell, Jacob McKeon and Jack Smith combining for six hits and five RBI.
Next up, Tarleton heads to Columbia, Missouri to take on the Missouri Tigers in a weekend series at Taylor Stadium.
Be the first to comment