Freshmen pitchers Andrew Swart and Craig Austin combined to hold Huston-Tillotson University to four runs on seven hits in a 7-4 victory in Sunday's second game of the double-header. The Rams handed Wabash a 10-6 loss in game one.
Swart picked up the win in his first career start at Wabash by working five innings of five-hit baseball with six strikeouts. The Rams scored four runs against the rookie right-hander before he left the game after the fifth. Austin scattered two hits over two innings with three strikeouts to earn his first career save.
While Swart and Austin kept the Rams' bats in check, the bottom part of the Wabash lineup produced four of the Little Giants' seven runs. Sophomore Joe Johnson was 2-for-3 as the number-eight hitter, including an RBI double. Seventh-hitter PJ Tyson also had two hits and two runs scored. Third baseman David Seibel added an RBI and a run scored from his number-six spot.
Head coach Cory Stevens talks about the Wabash victory.
The Little Giants opened the scoring in the first when Jake Thomas collected one of his team-high three hits, eventually scoring on a bases-loaded walk to Seibel. Thomas picked up an RBI in the second, bringing home Johnson with the second run of the game. HTU cut into the lead with a run in the bottom of the second, but a Tyson single and stolen base and the double by Johnson pushed the Wabash advantage to 3-1.
After the Rams tied the game in the bottom of the fourth the Little Giants picked up runs on a wild pitch and fielders' choice in the top of the fifth. Wabash added insurance runs in the sixth and seventh to record its first win of the Texas tour.
Matt Dodaro added two hits to his career totals, moving him into fifth place in the Wabash all-time hits list with 151. He added a double to move into a tie for fourth with 33 career two-base hits. Dodaro finished the day tied with Mike Mack '04 for the most career total bases with 246.
Wabash took a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning before HTU scored five runs in the final three innings to split the two games. Tyler Burke had two hits in his first start at catcher for the Little Giants, while Dodaro also had two hits in the contest. Mike Korfhagen started with no decision after pitching 3-1/2 innings with five earned runs on five hits. Pete Schmith took the loss after working 2/3 of an inning when the eventually winning run crossed the plate. Patrick McCarley pitched the final two innings, surrendering one earned run on four hits. The trio combined for nine strikeouts in the losing effort.
The Little Giants (2-3) will travel to Seguin, Texas for a Monday afternoon contest against Texas Lutheran.