Eagles split with Huston-Tillotson

Texas A and M University-Texarkana pitcher Colin Fenili follows through on a pitch against Huston-Tillotson University in a college baseball game on Sunday.  (Photo courtesy of tamuteagles.com)
Texas A and M University-Texarkana pitcher Colin Fenili follows through on a pitch against Huston-Tillotson University in a college baseball game on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of tamuteagles.com)

AUSTIN -- Texas A and M University-Texarkana's baseball team called it even on Monday.

The Eagles (18-18, 12-9) dropped Game 1, 5-3, but won Game 2, 8-6, as they split a doubleheader with Huston-Tillotson in a conference matchup.

Shraedon Naeole-Starkey and Hunter Reid each had three hits to lead the A and M-Texarkana offense in Game 2.

The Eagles were edged, 3-2, by the Rams on Sunday despite a solid pitching performance from Colin Fenili.

Game 1

Rams 5, Eagles 3

Kyle McMullen crushed a 2-run homer in the first frame to put A and M-Texarkana up early, 2-0.

Huston-Tillotson responded in the second with four runs to take the lead.

Luke Hyzdu plated an Eagle run in the fifth when he scored on a wild pitch to inch TAMU-T closer, 4-3. But the Rams put a run across in the bottom part of the frame to make it a two-run affair, 5-3.

Eagles starting pitcher Oscar Sanchez absorbed the loss, tossed five innings, allowed five earned runs on five hits, struck out three and walked three.

Brycen Lee earned the win for Huston-Tillotson, threw seven frames, allowed three earned runs on seven hits, had a walk and struck out seven.

Game 2

Eagles 8, Rams 6

Naeole-Starkey helped get TAMU-T's scoring started when he laced in a 2-run single to left to knot the game at 2-all in the second inning.

The Rams put up a run in the latter part of the frame to grab a 3-2 lead; it would be short lived.

Hunter Reid clobbered a solo moon shot for TAMU-T to knot the game at 3-all in the fourth. The Eagles started a two-out rally when Pudge Carlisle singled to center field and Naeole-Starkey followed with a single up the middle.

Eric Spencer popped in an RBI double to make it 4-3 in favor of A and M-Texarkana. L. Hyzdu brought in Naeole-Starkey and Spencer on a single to give the Eagles a 6-3 edge.

Huston-Tillotson bridged the gap with a run in the fourth and a run in the fifth to make it a 1-run contest.

Brian Reid, from New Boston, Texas, had an RBI single in the seventh to increase the Eagles' lead, 7-5. The Rams responded with a run in the bottom part of the frame to inch closer, 7-6.

Dakota Leopold's double to left field provided A and M-Texarkana with an insurance run in the ninth.

Gage Mason started for the Eagles, went five innings, gave up five runs (two unearned), five hits, walked two and struck out six. Nathan Hunter relieved Mason, threw 2 1/3 innings, gave up a run on a pair of hits, struck out two and walked three.

Relief pitcher Saneil Patel tossed the final 1 2/3 innings for TAMU-T. Patel walked one, struck out one and did not give up a run or a hit.

Sunday

Rams 3, Eagles 2

Fenili tossed seven innings, gave up three earned runs on five hits, walked five and struck out six for A and M-Texarkana, but Huston-Tillotson plated a tie-breaking run in the sixth that withstood for the rest of the game.

Leopold went 1 for 3 for the Eagles and had 2 RBIs. The other three hits for TAMU-T belonged to McMullen, Masashi Takegama and Brandon Riley.

The Eagles play at Xavier University ofLouisiana in New Orleans on Friday at 5 p.m.

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