April 9, 2008

FORT WORTH, TX -   By taking a 5-3 win over Howard Payne University (14-19) on Tuesday, the 18^th ranked Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (28-8) did something no other team had accomplished in the 38 previous seasons of Rams baseball.  The game marked their 16^th consecutive win.  For good measure, the Rams took game-two of the doubleheader 13-3, stretching their record to 17 straight wins.

 

The previous school record of 15 consecutive wins was set in 1980.  During their current 17-game streak, the Rams are hitting .405 as a team while outscoring their opponents 184-55.  Butch Ballez has led the offense by hitting .571 with 10 2B's, 4 HR's, and 25 RBI. 

 

The Rams have not relied solely on their offense during the streak, which has included seven games against nationally ranked competition.  At one point the pitching staff recorded 25 straight scoreless innings and went 41 innings without allowing an earned run.

 

In game one on Tuesday, the Rams found themselves in a 3-0 hole after the Yellow Jackets plated single runs in each of the first three frames.  In the bottom of the fourth, Zach Smith ripped a leadoff double and the Rams took the lead with a two-run double from Kyle Harmon and a two-run pinch-hit triple from Brad Henderson.

 

The Rams later added an unearned run in the sixth.

 

Hayden Lackey (4-1) picked up the win with three hitless innings of relief.  Joey Evans notched his third save of the season by tossing a perfect seventh inning.

 

In game two, the Yellow Jackets scored first with a pair in the first inning; however, this time the Rams' bats came to life early.  Texas Wesleyan batted around, scoring four runs on five hits in the first.  In the third, the Rams sent eleven men to the plate and got a two-run single from Harmon, and two-run doubles from Ballez and Taylor Miller.

 

After an HPU run in the fifth, the Rams plated a pair in the bottom of the fifth, and then ended the game early with an RBI single from Smith in the sixth inning.

 

Brandon Whitley (2-1) got the win with a scoreless inning of relief work.  Ballez went 3-for-3 at the plate with 4 RBI and two runs scored.

 

Texas Wesleyan will put their winning streak on the line this weekend with a three-game Red River Athletic Conference series with Northwood University.  Game one of that series is scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. start on Friday at LaGrave Field.