ST. GEORGE, Utah – Texan Baseball shut the door on the Trailblazers in the first game of the series with a double-digit win in eight innings.
Tarleton State (19-14, 9-7 WAC) kicked off the weekend series against Utah Tech (8-25, 6-10 WAC) with a 16-2 victory over the Trailblazers on Friday.
A seven-run inning for the Purple and White in the top of the eighth sealed the deal on a run-rule in favor of the visitors. Three consecutive singles from Tyson Drake, Cole Miears and Cris Enriquez loaded the bases for the Texans early. With one out on the board, a wild pitch made room for Drake to cross the plate and bring the lead to 10 for Tarleton State. Hunter Smith walked to reload the bases and a two RBI single from Ike Shirey brought in another couple of runs. Mason Crews walked to reload the bases for a third time and Mason Hammonds earned his second home run of the night in the form of a grand slam to bring the total to 16-0 in favor of the guys in purple.
Piercen McElyea (W, 3-0) got the start for the Texans, giving up no runs on one hit, two walks and five strikeouts in 6.0 innings on the mound.
Ky Decker (L, 1-5) took the mound as the starter for the Trailblazers with 2.0 innings pitched, giving up six runs on seven hits, one walk and no strikeouts.
Tarleton State compiled 16 runs on 20 hits with a trio of home runs. Hammonds’ first homer of the night and third of the season brought in three runs and his second of the evening brought in four. Shirey earned a solo home run to mark his first as a Texan. Smith tallied the lone double for the Texans.
The Trailblazers finished with two runs on four hits with one double.
A big second inning for the Purple and White saw the visitors take the lead and never look back. Trace Morrison singled to left field to leadoff. With two outs on the board, Crews walked to see a pair of runners on. An RBI single from Kooper Shook put the Texans on the board first. Hammonds kicked down the door for Tarleton State with a three-run home run for his third homer of the season, putting the home team down by four.
In the top of the third, a pair of singles from Miears and Enriquez added a pair of runners to the diamond for the Purple and White. Morrison singled through the right side to bring Miears across the plate for run five. Smith brough Enriquez in with an RBI double to tally the sixth run for the Texans.
Tarleton State kept the heat coming in the fourth as Shook filled his position as the leadoff for the inning with a single then stole second. Hammonds singled to right field, advancing Shook to third. Hammonds stole second and a two RBI single from Miears brought the Texans’ lead to eight at 8-0.
Shirey led off the Texans’ half of the fifth inning with his first home run in the Purple and White to see the visitors up by nine.
The sixth and seventh innings went scoreless across the board but Tarleton State was unstoppable in the eighth. A trio of singles loaded the bases and the Texans capitalized on a wild pitch to score the first run of the innings. Shirey got back to work at the plate with a single through the left side to bring in another pair of runs. With the bases loaded, Hammonds was packing punches as the third baseman for the Purple and White sent the ball soaring over the left field wall for a grand slam to tally the final four runs for Tarleton State.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Trailblazers mustered up a little bit of fight with a double from the inning’s leadoff to see a runner in scoring position for the home team. With one out on the board, a walk added another guy in red to the bases. A single to left center brough in a couple of runs for Utah Tech but a pair of outs followed to shut down the comeback for the home team.
The Texans and Trailblazers will see Game 2 on Saturday with a 3 p.m. CT start time.
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