LUBBOCK, TEXAS – UT Tyler baseball has run their winning streak out to eight games as they took down Lubbock Christian in a wild contest that saw 23 total runs scored with 10 of those coming in the final three innings.
 
The Patriots would score first, plating two quick runs in the top half of the first inning. A pair of errors got Carson Cox and Tres Thomas on base, and Jordan Gochenour came up big yet again with a single to right field to score Cox. Two batters later, Ethan Bedgood provided his own RBI single to plate the second run.
 
That lead wouldn't last long, as the Chaps bounced right back with four runs in the bottom half to take the lead themselves. Two walks followed by a single and a sacrifice fly plated two runs with just one out. Starter A.J. Irvin looked to settle in with a strikeout, but back to back doubles plated the third and fourth runs.
 
Needing to step up to support Irvin, the Patriots responded in a big way yet again, scoring four more runs in the second inning to retake the lead. An error and a walk put two runners on with one out, and Cox came up with his own RBI single to plate the first run. Thomas and Gochenour followed with their own RBI singles, and Austin Ochoa provided an RBI sacrifice fly for the final run.
 
In the bottom half, Irvin worked around a solo home run with a pair of strikeouts and a flyout to keep the Patriots out in front. That let the Patriots get back to work on offense, and two more walks from a patient offense combined with a single and a fielders choice loaded the bases. That allowed Cox to come to the plate for the third time in three innings, and he reached on an error that would score two more.
 
With the offensive outburst early on, the game suddenly turned into a pitching duel as Julio Garcia came on in relief of Irvin in the third. He worked around a single and kept the Chaps scoreless in his first inning of action. Both teams would struggle to get going on offense through the sixth inning as neither side plated a run. In those three innings, each offense had a player reach base, but only one runner was able to reach third over the stretch.
 
Cade Maclin got the ball to begin the sixth inning for UT Tyler, and worked the only three up, three down stretch of the game thus far. The Patriots were unable to get the bats fired up in the seventh, and that gave way for Maclin to head back out in the bottom half.
 
After a leadoff strikeout, the Chaps began to get it going with a single and then a pair of walks to load the bases. Another walk followed to plate the first run of the inning, and that meant the night was done for Maclin as he handed it over for Travis Onisto. Onisto stepped in, but the Chaps jumped out with a grand slam and took a 9-8 lead heading into the final two innings.
 
Ethan Bedgood would jump in with a solo shot to centerfield and cut the lead down to just one. The Chaps came up in the bottom half and the first two hitters reached via double and a walk followed by a strikeout. That brought in Logan Henderson, and he quickly worked through the final two outs with a popout and a strikeout.
 
Facing their final three outs, the Patriots needed a big rally, and they started the inning with a walk and a single followed by a groundout and a hit by pitch to load the bases. A foulout would give them two outs and bring Ochoa back to the plate. Ochoa came up massive with a two RBI single up the middle, and then Bedgood tacked on another RBI single to put UT Tyler up 12-10.
 
Heading to the bottom of the ninth, Henderson trotted back out and got the first batter out quickly. The next hitter singled to center, but moved to third on an error. A strikeout followed, but a wild pitch would plate a run for Lubbock Christian and cut the lead down to one. A walk would put another runner on base, and that brought on Garrett Arredondo to finish the contest. He would walk another hitter, but then on a wild pitch Minjares would pick up the ball and throw down to Ochoa who tagged out the runner trying to advance and end the game.
 
The Patriots will now take on the Chaps in a doubleheader beginning at noon on Sunday to wrap up the series. Following the two games, the Patriots will then head home to prepare to host #3 Angelo State next weekend in a four game series.