RAMS ADVANCE TO RRAC FINALS:

GET REMATCH WITH NORTHWOOD
May 1, 2008

Box Score - vs. Northwood

Box Score - vs. UT-Brownsville

BROWNSVILLE, TX:  The Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (40-13) responded to an 18-9 loss to Northwood University by taking an 11-4 win over UT-Brownsville to advance to Friday’s final round.

In game one, the two teams traded runs in the first inning.  After Northwood scored in the second, the Rams tied the game with an RBI single from Butch Ballez in the third.

The Knights took control in the fourth, scoring five runs on six hits and a Texas Wesleyan error.  The Rams fought back in the fifth.  Butch Ballez hit a three run homer, and Blake Walker followed with a solo shot to bring the score to 7-6.

In the sixth, the Knights pout the game out of reach with a nine run frame.

In game two, the Rams struck with back-to-back home runs again.  This time it was a two-run shot from Zach Smith and a solo shot from Walker to give Texas Wesleyan a 3-0 advantage.

The Scorpions got a solo home run from Ignacio Celedon in the second and tied the game with two runs on a hit and two Texas Wesleyan errors in the fifth.

An RBI single from Celedon in the sixth made it 4-3 Scorpions, but the Rams answered in the bottom of the frame, when Ballez walked, advanced to third on a double from Smith, and scored on a wild pitch.

In the bottom of the eighth, Jerry Fisher led off with a single and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches.  A ground ball from Kyle Harmon then plated Fisher with the go-ahead run.  With two outs in the frame, the Rams added six more runs including three-run homer from Smith.

Smith went 3-for-5 with two home runs, five RBI, and two runs scored.  Ballez was 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored.

Matt Chutchian (2-0) picked up the win after striking out three in 1.1 perfect innings of work.  Joey Evans retired all three batters he faced in the ninth.

The Rams will face Northwood in Friday’s final.  At 3-0, the fourth-seeded Knights are in the driver’s seat.  Texas Wesleyan needs a pair of wins to take their second straight RRAC Title.  Game one is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start while game two is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. if necessary.