RAMS FINISH THIRD IN REGION VI
May 9, 2008

Box Score - vs. Oklahoma Baptist

Box Score - vs. Lubbock Christian

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK:  The Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (42-16) took a 10-6 win over Oklahoma Baptist University (44-16) to move within one game of the NAIA Region VI final before falling to top-ranked Lubbock Christian University (53-3) by a score of 8-2 on Friday.

In the opening game against Oklahoma Baptist, a fielding error cost Texas Wesleyan a run in the top of the second; however, the Rams’ bats responded in the bottom of the inning.  With two outs, Taylor Miller, Jerry Fisher, and Mikey Valdez singled in succession to tie the game at one.

The Bison jumped ahead in the top of the fourth.  A two-run double from Christian Ruiz and an RBI single from Keith Johnson gave Oklahoma Baptist a 4-1 advantage.

A two-out run scoring double from Butch Ballez put the Rams within two in the fifth inning.  In the bottom of the sixth, Brandon Frazier ripped a leadoff double.  Antoine Cole followed with a base hit, and Miller drove Frazier home with a base hit.  A balk and a two-run error put Texas Wesleyan back on top 5-4.  The Rams didn’t stop there, adding an RBI double from Valdez and an RBI single from Ryan Jacobi to round out a five-run inning.

A double from Billy Thomas in the seventh led to an Oklahoma Baptist run.  Texas Wesleyan came back with RBI singles from Cole and Miller in the seventh and an RBI single from Frazier in the eight to run the score to 10-5.

OBU’s Keith Johnson led off the ninth with a home run to account for the 10-6 final score.

Aaron Wimpee (9-0) earned the win after allowing five runs, four earned, on four hits while striking out four in six innings of work.

Zach Smith, Ballez, and Miller all went 3-for-5 at the plate as the Rams racked up 18 hits in the game.  Brandon Frazier’s two runs scored gave him 73 on the season, breaking Michael Hall’s school record of 72 (2001).

With the win, Texas Wesleyan advanced to play Lubbock Christian University for the chance to play in Saturday’s regional final.  The Chaps, ranked number one in the nation, got a leadoff homerun from Buck Britton.

They made it 5-0 by scoring four runs on two hits and two errors in the second inning.

The Rams got on the board with a double from Fisher followed by a single from Miller in the fifth inning.  However, LCU got a two-run single from Karlton Banks as part of a three run frame in the bottom of the fifth.

An RBI single from Jacobi in the eighth brought the score to 8-2.

Kody Thiebaud (3-3) took the loss after allowing five runs, three earned, on three hits in 1.1 innings.  Miller went 2-for-3 with an RBI for Texas Wesleyan.

LCU’s victory sets up a Region VI final featuring the nation’s number one and number five teams.  The Chaps carry a 3-1 tournament record into Saturday’s action while the Stars sit at 3-0.

The loss ended an outstanding season for the Rams at 42-16.  Their 42 wins were the third most in school history and the most since 1978 (52).  One of the most productive offensive teams in school history, the team set school records with a .354 team batting average, a .430 team on base percentage, 494 runs scored, 690 hits, 139 doubles, 432 runs batted in, and 1,005 total bases.  Meanwhile their 110 stolen bases were the third most in school history.  They also posted a school record 19-game winning streak that spanned from March 12 to April 12.