STEPHENVILLE, Texas – The HCU offense came out ready to go, building a 7-0 lead in the top of the first inning, and starting pitcher
Ben Smith threw a complete game as the Huskies won the rubber game of their three-game series, 9-5, at Tarleton State on Sunday afternoon.
Jeremy Rader led the game off with a single before
Katcher Halligan drew a walk and a
Rhett Hendricks single loaded the bases with one out.
Jack Walker then got a 1-2 fastball down and in and crushed it over the right field fence to put HCU (10-9) ahead, 4-0. The next batter,
Levi Castilleja, was hit by a pitch followed by a four-pitch walk to
Preston Curtis.
Graham Laxton then laced the first pitch he saw in his at bat over the fence to right centerfield and the Huskies held a 7-0 with just one out recorded in the game.
Tarleton State (12-7) got on the board in the bottom half of the first on a solo home run from Rayner Heinrich.
Walker led off the third with a walk, moving up to second on a sacrifice bunt and then advancing to third on a single by Curtis. Laxton then dropped down a squeeze bunt that scored Walker and moved Curtis over to second. Two hitters later, Rader singled to center to bring Curtis across the plate and make it a 9-1 ballgame heading into the bottom of the third.
Heinrich tripled with one out in the bottom of the third before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Slade McCloud. The game then cruised along at 9-2 until the bottom of the ninth. Smith got the first two hitters in the bottom of the ninth to ground out before running into a bit of trouble. The right-hander issued a walk followed by a double down the left field line that looked like an easy flyout to left off the bat but got pushed away from Walker by a strong wind. Sergio Guerra followed up with a double of his own and Jake Tatom drove in another run with a single through the right side. After allowing three runs on three hits, Smith ended the threat and the game by getting a flyout to center.
Smith allowed five earned runs on seven hits while throwing the first complete game of his HCU career, striking out three and walking three. The senior righty improves to 3-1 on the season.
Walker's home run was his third of the season as he had a 2-for-4 day with four RBI and two runs scored. Laxton's homer was his first of the year with the shortstop finishing the day 1-for-2 at the plate with four RBI and a run scored.
The Huskies will host a UTSA Roadrunner club currently ranked No. 24 in the nation at Husky Field this coming Tuesday, Mar. 17, for a St. Patrick's Day matchup beginning at 6:30 p.m.
