LeTourneau baseball opened the 2017 season with a home-doubleheader against the Arlington Baptist Patriots. The YellowJackets split with Patriots, losing the first game, 4-6, but quickly turning around and winning the late game 10-5.
In the first contest, LeTourneau was put on the board in the bottom of the second inning with a RBI single from sophomore
Jacob Faubion. The run was scored by freshman
Haden Simmons who had blasted a line drive triple into center field setting him up into perfect scoring position for Faubion's RBI.
In the bottom of the third, a single by senior
Kyle Jacobs put him into scoring position for junior
Gonzalo Sosa to bring him around the bases with a RBI double.
Arlington Baptist began to chip away at the Jacket's lead in the top of the fourth when the lead was cut to 2-1. The Patriots took the lead in the top of the fifth; scoring three runs to overtake LETU, 2-4.
LeTourneau mounted a comeback in the bottom of the sixth after Arlington went up 2-5 to start that inning. Sophomore
Ryan Conger made his mark when he started the YellowJackets off with a single to center field. Senior
Jacob Simmons followed up with a RBI double, scoring Conger. An Arlington Baptist error would lead to Faubion collecting a RBI and scoring sophomore
Noah Mahoney, who reached the bags on a walk.
LETU was unable to complete the comeback and fell to the Patriots in the first game, 4-6.
Senior
Jordan Carns took the loss in game one of the doubleheader, allowing five runs on four hits in 5.2 innings dropping him to 0-1 to begin the season.
Sosa led LETU at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a single, two doubles, and one RBI.
Jacob Simmons was 2-for-3 with a single, a double, and a RBI.
The YellowJacket's bats sprang to life in the final game of the night to pull out a 10-5 win over Arlington Baptist.
LeTourneau started off strong, scoring two runs in the first inning off Patriot errors. After Arlington tied it up at two, LeTourneau brought in two more runs in the third inning from a two-RBI double down the left field line from senior
Carson Dickey to regain the lead at 4-2.
After two scoreless innings at the plate for both teams, Arlington Baptist brought in their last run of the game in the top of the sixth to take a 5-4 lead.
That is when LETU started their rally.
Ryan Gibbs hit a leadoff double down the left field line. A walk for Dickey put two on the bags for a sacrifice bunt from freshman
Mason Drake to move the runners into scoring position.
Sophomore
Lee Hosie and freshman
Zach Cochran both stepped up to the plate for back-to-back RBI singles to bring Gibbs and Dickey home. Another RBI single by Jacobs brought Hosie home and set up the intentional walk for Sosa.
Jacob Simmons stepped into the box with bases loaded and one out to contribute a sacrifice fly to score Cochran and push the lead to 8-5.
Sophomore
Kyle Buchanan sealed the game for LETU, launching a ball into left field for a double and 2 RBIs. The Jackets iced out the Patriots in the final inning to take the win 10-5.
Freshman
Haden Simmons picks up his first win as a YellowJacket by allowing one run on three hits in three innings with two strikeouts.
Jacob Simmons dominated at the plate in the final game of the night, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles, one run, and two RBIs.
Kyle Jacobs also led in batting with a pair of singles, two runs, and a lone RBI to finish 2-for-4.
LeTourneau will return to action tomorrow to finish their three-game series with Arlington Baptist at 11 a.m. Then at 5 p.m. the YellowJackets will take on Austin College who will kick off their season tomorrow.
