Diamonds Are a Lion's Best Friend
SAGU hosts Howard Payne for Two on Tuesday
WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- Southwestern Assemblies of God University will take on Howard Payne University in a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader at the Waxahachie Sports Complex. The twinbill has changed the starting time of Game One to 3:00pm. Weather forecasts call for a sunny sky and temperatures around 70 degrees.
The Lions are fresh off an entertaining series against Wiley College in which they won the opener, and then dropped the next two. A few timely base hits could've given SAGU a sweep. Instead, they will bring a 6-18 mark into the non-conference pair of games against the Yellow Jackets.
The teams last met on the baseball diamond in 2007, when Payne stung the Lions, 17-11, in Waxahachie.
About Howard Payne
The Howard Payne campus is located in Brownwood, practically smack-dab in the center heart of Texas. With a current population of 18,000, the town is a far cry from the vibrant city it was during World War II when Camp Bowie was alive and well. Over 80,000 troops were stationed there until the Army base relocated to what is now Fort Hood. Brownwood is 135 miles from Waxahachie.
Members of the American Southwest Conference, the Yellow Jackets are members of the NCAA's Division III. Under fourth year Head Coach Stephen Lynn, they are 3-10 overall, including 0-7 on the road.
Lions Pitching Staff Improves
The Lions had three good pitching efforts over the weekend from senior Cameron Ward (Mansfield, Tx / Grace Prep), junior Chris Stanley (Harker Heights, Tx / Ellison HS) and junior Nic Morgan (Ft. Worth, Tx / LaTourneau Univ, Boswell HS), as well as a solid showing defensively. Ward was outstanding in Friday's 9-6 win, upping his record to 2-1. Junior Tim Kolczak (San Antonio, Tx / Taft HS), the closer, picked up his fourth save.
At the plate the squad had numerous scoring opportunities but struggled to get the needed third hit. Stranded runners spelled the difference.
On Tap Tuesday: Schexneider, Jones
Head Coach Greg Hayes will send lefthander Trevor Schexneider (Elizabethtown, Ky / Elizabethtown HS) in the first game, before sophomore righty Jared Jones (Copperas Cove, Tx / Copperas Cove HS) takes to the mound in the nightcap.
Schexneider (SHECKS-NY-der), a deceptive lefthander, only allows enemy batters to hit .230 against him. Jones is a rugged, strong-armed hurler who is even tougher. Collectively, opponents are batting just .190 off the former Copperas Cove Bulldawg.
Lions' Lumberjacks
Hayes utilizes his five hottest batters, and continues to look for at bats for up and coming freshman Weston Lippe (Huntsville, Tx / Alpha-Omega HS).
As expected, senior rightfielder Patrick Wherland (Petrolia, Tx / Petrolia HS) is the cog in the Cats' wheel. He swings a .414 club and has a team-best 20 runs batted in. Dustin Jett (Patterson, La / Patterson HS) is the opening act at leadoff. He totes a .341 average and has swiped 14 bases.
Jones, who has a hose at shortstop when he's not pitching, is armed and dangerous. He is batting .313 and has 13 ribbies. DuJuan Prater (Copperas Cove, Tx / Copperas Cove HS) plays both leftfield and first base – not at the same time. He's not that fast. He's a clutch hitter, as his .308 and 15 RBI attest.
After Lippe's .292 (in just 24 trips to the plate), is Ward. The lefthanded veteran is a spray hitter with power and an ideal #2 batter. He is currently sporting a .276 hunk of wood, and puts the ball in play consistently.
On Deck: Road Series in Hawkins
Southwestern will be in East Texas this weekend for a three-game set against Jarvis Christian College (5-14 overall). They are 5-10 in the Red River Athletic Conference. Friday's first game will start at 2:00pm in Hawkins. The Bulldogs will host a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at noon.
