LONGVIEW, Texas – Home runs by
Dane Jones and
Dylan Cortes power LETU past McMurry in the night cap of Saturday's doubleheader at Conrad-Vernon Field.
The YellowJackets improved to 5-11 overall, including 3-9 in American Southwest Conference play, while the War Hawks dropped to 7-9, 4-8.
Knotted at 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Jones deposited the 2-2 offering beyond the left-center fence, giving his side a three-run cushion.
Ethan Wood and
Cameron Pfafman worked back-to-back walks, crossing the plate in front of Jones.
"After last night's game, Ethan wood had a huge two-out at-bat, fouling off multiple pitches to work a walk," Head Coach said. "Pfafman did the same and then
Dane Jones did a
Dane Jones thing. He worked the count in his favor, got a pitch up in the zone that he hammered out to left center."
Kyle Maysonave opened the scoring with a double to right center, driving in
Cody Stanley, who led off the second with an infield single. Cortes blasted his second homer of the season to left center, nudging the gap out to 2-0 in the fifth.
Blaze Rickerson trimmed the margin to 2-1 in the top of the sixth with a solo shot. A swinging bunt in the seventh pulled McMurry even when Kyle
Carpenter crossed the dish.
Aman Patel spun his third quality start in succession, scattering seven hits and allowing two runs, one walk and striking out four in 6.2 innings.
"Patel had all of his pitches going
today, and really kept them off balance, working into the seventh," Harriss said. "Throwing strike one and getting ahead in the count is a key attribute to his success."
William Bond relieved Patel with two outs and runners on the corners. He induced a grounder to second, keeping the score even at 2-2. He benefited from the three-run blast off the bat of Jones to earn his first-career win.
Cortes tallied two of the seven hits by the YellowJackets.
Cody Stanley,
Weston McKinley and
Anthony Ybarra joined Maysonave and Jones with a knock each.
Landry Suarez collected a hold with one run surrendered in 1.1 innings of work. He issued three walks and fanned one.
Landon Stocks earned his first safe by retiring the batters he faced, stranding the tying run at second.
"I was impressed with Landon [Stocks], who came out of the 'pen to get two big outs and securing the save," Harriss said.
Game Information
WP – William Bond (1-0): 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
LP – Travis Beauchamp (1-3): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3
ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Home Runs
LETU: Dylan Cortes (1); Dane Jones (1)
McM: Blaze Rickerson (1)
Doubles
LETU: Kyle Maysonave (1)
McM: Josh Dyer
Stolen Bases
LETU: Cameron Pfafman (1); Dane Jones (1)
HBP
LETU: Anthony Ybarra (1)
Passed Balls:
LETU: Cameron Pfafman
Errors:
LETU: Ethan Wood (1);
Devin Greaff (1)
McM: Blake Beach (1); Javier Rosa (1)
Umpires: Home Plate: Parker Powell
First: Tanner Simmons
Start: 2:35 p.m.
Time: 2:30
Weather: 77 deg, P. Cloudy, S 12 MPH
