Lions slip in triple-header
SAGU swept, 15-4, 6-1 and 7-6
MARSHALL, Texas -- Southwestern Assemblies of God University’s baseball team ran into more than dreary weather in East Texas on Saturday. They clashed with a suddenly hot Wiley College team and were swept in a rare triple-header.
The Wildcats, who entered the game at 3-12, rolled to three wins against a Lions pitching staff that yielded too much for a batting attack that is struggling to hit with men on base. Wiley won 15-4, 6-1 and 7-6. They scored 11 runs in their first inning, which was as many as the Lions would collect on a wet, cold day in Marshall.
Game One Summary
Wiley built a 15-0 lead before the Lions scored in the fifth, and took the first game by a 15-4 count. They rapped 20 base hits, seven for extra bases, and took advantage of five Southwestern errors. The Lions had eight hits and left 10 runs on base.
SAGU had lost late leads three times in the last two games, spoiling what could have been a pair of wins.
Game Two Summary
The Lions led the second game 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth when Wiley scored twice, then broke the game open with a four-spot in the sixth for a 6-1 triumph. SAGU managed four hits against the Cats.
Game Three Summary
Since Friday’s solo game was rained out, the teams played a third game before afternoon storms arrived.
Southwestern built a 5-1 lead in the fourth but couldn’t hold on. Wiley scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth, and then tied the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Both teams pushed a run across in the ninth before the Wildcats won it with the winning tally in the 10th, 7-6.
The hosts racked up eleven hits and were issued eight walks, which countered a 12 strikeout performance by Lions pitchers. SAGU had 12 hits and four walks but stranded 14 runners. They struck out 10 times.
Tripleheader Team Totals
In the trio of games, Wiley combined for 28 runs on 38 hits and made five errors. They had 10 extra base hits. Southwestern scored 11 runs on 24 hits and had nine miscues. SAGU totaled two extra base hits.
Wildcat pitchers fanned 20 batters in the three games and allowed 10 to reach on walks. The Lions struck out 16 Wiley players and gave up 17 bases on balls.
SAGU started Nic Morgan (Ft. Worth, Tx / LeTourneau, Boswell HS), John Savis (Canton, Tx / Canton HS) and Jacob Spivey (Georgetown, Tx / Harker Heights HS) in the three games. Morgan, Savis and Daniel Reinhardt (Abilene, Tx / Vancouver Christian HS) were tagged with a loss.
Wiley is 6-12 overall and 4-7 in the Red River Athletic Conference, while SAGU slid to 10-15 and 0-12.
After Spring Break, the Lions will return to the field with a doubleheader in Brownwood against Howard Payne University on Tuesday, March 20. The first game will start at 2:00pm. The Yellow Jackets are currently 5-8.
The next home game is the following day when SAGU plays host to Manhattan College (Kan), March 21, at the Waxahachie Sports Complex. The Crusaders are currently 1-17.
Line-Up Boost Expected
The team could have Mario Mendoza (Ft. Worth, Tx / Grambling State University, Polytechnic HS) back in the line-up in 10 days. The lefthander hurled a no-hitter and a one-hitter in his first two starts before suffering an injury. Another starting pitcher could be cleared to play by that week as well.
Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, Sports Information Director, at
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or at 469-658-2847.
