NACOGDOCHES- Tarleton State secured their fourth conference win after taking down the Lumberjacks with a pair of home runs from Tyson Drake.
Tarleton State (14-12, 4-6 WAC) defeated Stephen F. Austin (3-24, 0-10 WAC) in the first game of the Easter weekend series with an 8-3 final on Thursday evening in Nacogdoches.
Piercen McElyea (W, 2-0) took the mound for Tarleton State giving up a single run on five hits, two walks, and four strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
Reid Boyett (L, 0-6) got the start for SFA, giving up five runs on six hits, two walks and five strikeouts.
Drake had a phenomenal night at the plate with a pair of home runs to bring in a total of five out of eight runs for the Texans. The Purple and White compiled eight runs on eight hits with doubles from Mason Hammonds and Kooper Shook and four stolen bases with help from Drake, Hammonds, Shook and Ike Shirey.
The Lumberjacks tallied three runs on nine hits with one home run, two doubles and one stolen base.
In the top of the first the leadoff hitter for the Texans doubled, seeing Hammonds immediately in scoring position. The two-hole for Tarleton State came out hot with a homer to right field to claim the first home run of the game for Drake to put the visitors up 2-0.
The top of the third saw another pair of runs for the Purple and White. Hammonds reached first on an error and advanced on a wild pitch. Drake was hit by a pitch to add another runner on for the Texans and a bunt from Cole Miears loaded the bags for Tarleton State. A groundout from Cris Enriquez brought Hammonds home and a sacrifice fly saw Drake cross the plate to bring to the lead to 4-0.
In the top of the fifth, Drake singled on a bunt, then stole second. A single to center field placed Drake at third and Miears took second to see two runners in scoring position. Drake tallied the fifth run on a fly out from Enriquez to put SFA down by five.
A double from the Lumberjacks kicked off the bottom of the fifth followed by a single to put the home team in scoring position. A fly out to right field brought in the first run for SFA.
In the bottom of the sixth with one runner on, Colton Griffin sent a homer over the left field wall to bring in a pair of runs for the Lumberjacks to bring the score to a two-run deficit at 5-3.
The Texans kicked things into gear in the top of the ninth as Mason Crews walked to start the momentum for the visiting team. Hammonds took a hit in the box to see a couple of runners on with Drake next up. With one out on the board, Drake’s fourth bomb of the season and second of the evening gave the Purple and White a handful of insurance runs to give the visitors their biggest lead of the night 8-3. A scoreless bottom of the inning sealed the deal for Tarleton State.
Game 2 of the Easter weekend series will commence at 2 p.m. on Friday.
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