TYLER, TEXAS – Late inning offense has been the key recently for the Patriots, and Friday night proved to be no different as they scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth to win 5-4.
Five different Patriots drove in a run on the night as a total team effort in the last half of the game provided all of the offense required for the win.
The Javelinas were able to strike first in the series opener, garnering two runs off of starter
Dylan Blomquist thanks to a pair of RBI singles in the top of the first inning.
In the. Bottom half, the Patriots would get a pair of walks from
Jordan Gochenour and
Austin Ochoa, but neither were able to make their way around to score.
The game would evolve into a pitcher's duel over the first five innings, as neither side was able to get anything going on offense. The Javelinas were able to put runners on the corners in the third with two outs, but Blomquist forced a groundout to end any threat.
For the Patriots offense, they were looking for their first hit as they reached the bottom of the fifth inning, and after a pair of walks from
Tres Thomas and
Carson Cox, Gochenour came up clutch with an RBI single to cut the lead in half.
In the top of the sixth, the Javelinas would extend their lead thanks to an RBI single and then a double steal that ended up in a rundown to score the runner from third.
Needing action to go their way, the Patriots got their sixth inning started with
Lane Hutchinson reaching on an error. He came around to score in the next at-bat, as
Ethan Bedgood slugged a double to left field. Bedgood himself would score as
Kaston Mason delivered his own RBI double, and suddenly the lead was down to one. Two batters later,
Edward Ortiz came through in the clutch with an RBI single up the middle to plate Mason and tie up the game.
Neither side would plate a run in the seventh, and
Julio Garcia continued to keep the Javelinas off the board in the eighth inning after taking over for Blomquist in the sixth inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Patriots needed a run to bust up the tie and head to the ninth with the chance to close it out. Mason drilled his second double of the day to center field, and
Nathan Carriere stepped in to pinch run. Just one batter later,
Adrian Minjares singled up the middle to drive home Carriere and the Patriots held a one run lead.
In the ninth inning, head coach
Brent Porche turned the ball over to reliever
Garrett Arredondo, and he came up with a clutch 1-2-3 inning as he sat down the number nine, one and two hitters along the way.
Kaston Mason was the lone Patriots player with two hits on the night, as he came up with a pair of doubles and an RBI while also scoring a run. Gochenour, Bedgood, Minjares, and Ortiz would each also record an RBI on the night.
Julio Garcia picked up his first win of the season after going 2.2 innings and allowing just one hit while striking out three batters.
Garrett Arredondo picked up his third save of the season after shutting down the Javelinas bats in the top of the ninth.
Next up for UT Tyler will be doubleheader Saturday as they host the Javelinas beginning at 3 p.m. inside Irwin Field at the UT Tyler Ballpark.
