RAMS WIN REMATCH
May 8, 2008

Box Score

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK:  In a rematch of the Red River Ahtletic Conference championship game, Texas Wesleyan University (41-15) met with Northwood University (26-25) in second round action of the NAIA Region VI Baseball Tournament.  This time Texas Wesleyan got the better end of a 10-4 final score.

The two teams were actually meeting for the third time in the postseason and sixth time this season.  The Rams and Knights split the series, 3-3, with Northwood winning two of the three postseason contests.

The Rams struck early with three runs in the bottom of the first.  After Blake Walker led off with an infield hit, Zach Smith drove him in with an RBI single.  Butch Ballez singled, and a base hit from Ryan Jacobi made it 2-0 with runners at the corners.  Ballez and Jacobi then executed the rabbit play with Jacobi staying in a rundown long enough for Ballez to scamper home from third base.

In the third inning, the Knights took advantage of a Texas Wesleyan error and got RBI singles from RJ Harris and Shane Bagley.

In the bottom of the third, Walker ripped a leadoff triple and scored on a sac fly from Mikey Valdez.  Smith followed with a double into the right-center gap, Ballez singled, and Antoine Cole drew a walk to load the bases with one out.  Jacobi then chased the Knights starter from the game with a two-run base hit.  A walk to Taylor Miller and a base hit from Jerry Fisher brought the score to 7-2.

Northwood added an RBI single from Cody Via in the fourth.  The Rams loaded the bases for Jacobi again in the seventh, and once again he delivered a two-run single.  Taylor Miller then drove in Cole with a sac fly to bring the score to 10-3.

A solo homer from Bryan Root in the top of the ninth accounted for the 10-4 final score.

Steven DeFratus (9-3) held the Knights, who entered the game averaging 12 runs per game in five postseason contests, to three runs (one earned) on eight hits while striking out three in six innings pitched.

Freshman Jerad Beall notched his first career save by tossing the final three innings.  He allowed one run on two hits while striking out three Knights.

Jacobi went 3-for-5 at the plate with a career-high five RBI.  He also added an outfield-assist to his performance.  Walker, Smith, Ballez, and Cole each had a pair of hits for the Rams.

The Rams will meet the loser of tonight’s contest between Oklahoma City University (50-10) and Oklahoma Baptist University (44-14) in an elimination game on Friday.  That game is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. start with the winner moving on to play again at 6:00 p.m.