POSTGAME INTERVIEW WITH DILLON YATES AND CODY WHITLEY

GEORGETOWN - In their first outing in the new 2013 campaign, the LeTourneau YellowJacket baseball team put together an offensive clinic as they scored 17 runs and pounded 18 hits to rout the Pirates of Southwestern 17-1 on the road.

LeTourneau got things going in the top of the first as junior Dustin Varnado drew a walk followed by a single to center by senior Rhett Bohannon. After an our was recorded, Varnado and Bohannon executed a double steal to get into scoring position and junior Garrett Methvin drove them home with a single up the middle for a 2-0 lead.

After a walk to freshman Dillon Yates, junior Chris Bertram came to the plate and belted a double down the left field line to score two more runs and extend the lead to 4-0. The bases were then loaded with two outs after an infield single from freshman Ryan Bertram and a hit by pitch to senior Brent Sellers. Two more runs came across home after a failed pickoff attempt scooted into the outfield as LeTourneau held a 6-0 advantage.

Sophomore Cody Whitley earned the first start of his career and came out and did the best thing a pitcher can do with a six run lead, throw strikes, as he got through the first with no damage.

LeTourneau got two more runs in the second thanks to RBI singles from Yates and C. Bertram and one more in the third after a throwing error by the Southwestern infield for a 9-0 lead.

Whitley conitnued to dominate on the mound, doing a tremendous job locating his fastball and keep Pirate hitters off balance with his offspeed pitches.  

Things got better for the Jackets in the fifth as R. Bertram led the inning off with a one out single to left followed by a single by sophomore Caleb Pritchett. After a line out for the second out, Varnado had an infield single followed by a two run RBI single by Bohannon to increase the lead to 11-0. Griffin followed that up with a two RBI double to deep center as the Jackets continued to put it on the Pirates.

After another quick inning by Whitley, Yates stepped up to the plate in the sixth and blasted a homer to deep left field to make it 14-0. R. Bertram added a RBI and LeTourneau scored on another error by Southwestern. Yates added one more RBI in the seventh and the Jackets used solid releif pitching from sophomore Ben Boles to cruise to the win.

Whitley picked up the win for the Jackets, pitching six innings, allowing no earned runs (one unearned) on four hits while striking out six and walking only one batter. Boles came in relief, pitching three innings and only allowing two hits to go with one K.

The entire LeTourneau starting lineup had a hit on the evening, led by Yates 3-for-4 day with a home run, three RBIs, and three runs scored. C. Bertram added a 2-for-5 days with a double and three RBis while R. Bertram had a three hit evening. Bohannon, Griffin, and Methvin all added two RBIs on the evening.

The Jackets only scored double digit runs in two games a season ago with their highest run total being 11. In one game, they oblitterated that stat as they were aggressive and impressive at the plate. 

LeTourneau is back in action tomorrow afternoon as they will wrap up the three game series with the Pirates in a doubleheader. First pitch of game one, which will be a seven inning game, is set for 1:00 p.m. The second game with be a nine inning game. Check letuathletics.com for postgame coverage.