TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler baseball split their doubleheader day with Texas A&M International on Saturday afternoon as the Patriots got a walk-off sacrifice fly from Jordan Ardoin in game two.
 
GAME ONE
 
Game one of the day began with the Patriots looking strong, as they ran out to a 2-0 lead after one inning as Kyle Atkinson doubled home Connor Clark and Ethan Bedgood drove home the second run with an RBI groundout to score Atkinson.
 
The Patriots had the ball in Garrett Arredondo's hands from the start, and he delivered a near flawless start on the mound. After a hit by pitch and a walk to start the game, Arredondo settled in with a popout and a pickoff before getting a weak grounder to end the inning without a blemish.
 
In the second, he struck out a pair around a single and then got a flyout to again put together a scoreless frame. That story continued in the third, as he gave up two singles before a flyout and a lineout double play to keep the Patriots in front.
 
In the third inning, the Patriots found their stride again at the plate, as Connor Clark and Kyle Atkinson each reached on singles and moved up on a fielding error. Lane Hutchinson would draw a walk to load the bases, and Bedgood would cash in a pair of runs to make it 4-0. Austin Ochoa added in another RBI groundout just one batter later, and that made it 5-0 for the Patriots after three.
 
After another scoreless frame in the fourth, Arredondo took to the mound in the fifth inning to continue his brilliant effort. After two singles in the first three batters, the Dustdevils finally drove in their first run as they got a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 5-1. He would continue his efforts in the sixth, working one final scoreless inning and his first 1-2-3 effort of the game to give the bullpen the lead at 5-1 in the final frame of game.
 
Miles Clack would come on to start the seventh inning, but the Dustdevils found two walks and two singles to plate their second run of the game. That moved Clack from the game, and replacing him was Nick Niebur. Niebur got the quick sacrifice fly to get the first out of the inning, but a double down the line plated two more to tie the game.
 
Two batters later, an RBI single up the middle gave the Dustdevils their first lead of the game as they headed to the bottom half of the inning.
 
In the home half, the leadoff hitter for UT Tyler grouded out, but Clark drew a key hit by pitch with one out. Another groundout would move Clark up to second with two outs. That brought up Hutchinson, who slugged a single into left field, Clark rounded third, but a good throw from the Dustdevils cut him down at the plate and ended the game.
 
With his two RBI single in the third, Ethan Bedgood is now the UT Tyler career RBI record holder. Prior to game two, he had totaled 148 career RBI in his five year Patriot career.
 
Garrett Arredondo got the no decision, going six innings while scattering seven hits and allowing just one run while striking out three.
 
Both Connor Clark and Kyle Atkinson had two hit nights, while Bedgood totaled a team-high three RBI.
 
GAME TWO
 
In game two on the night, the Patriots handed the ball to Nash Villegas to get the game started. He led the game off with a strikeout and a walk, but quickly erased the Dustdevils with a ground ball double play to give the Patriots the chance to take the lead.
 
They took the lead immediately, as Bedgood delivered yet again with an RBI single up the middle to plate Clark and give the Patriots a 1-0 lead.
 
In the top of the second, the Dustdevils struck back, piecing together a walk, and a single with two outs before moving both runners on a wild pitch. The next batter would drive a single to left to score both runners, but was thrown out trying to advance on the throw. That gave the Dustdevils a 2-1 lead and their first of the game.
 
Villegas battled back with a scoreless frame in the third, and the Patriots offense rewarded him with a three spot in the home half. In that inning, Hutchinson and Bedgood each singled before Austin Ochoa reached on a fielder's choice. The next batter up was Kaston Mason, and he delivered his fifth home run of the year to put the Patriots back up 4-2.
 
Lane Hutchinson tacked on another run in the fourth with a two out double that plated Clark, and the Patriots led 5-2.
 
Both teams would put up scoreless half innings in the fifth, but the Dustdevils found their offense yet again in the sixth. After a double, strikeout, and three straight singles, Bryson Adair would come on to replace Villegas after the Dustdevils got another pair of runs. Adair would shut down the rally, getting a groundout on just one pitch to end the inning and keep the Patriots in the lead.
 
The Patriots offense scratched back, plating a run via a sacrifice fly in the sixth thanks to Kyle Atkinson to make it 6-4.
 
That led the game to the seventh, where the Dustdevils again found a late rally as they scored two runs, one on a sacrifice fly and one on a single to tie the game and force the Patriots to score a run in the home half of the seventh in order to win.
 
Bedgood led off by reaching on a throwing error, and Ochoa singled to center field to put a pair on with no outs. Tres Thomas came on to pinch run for Bedgood, and everyone moved up a base as Kaston Mason singled to right field. That would give Jordan Ardoin the bases loaded with no outs, and he connected on a deep fly ball that would turn into a sacrifice fly that scored Thomas from third.
 
For the game, Nash Villegas went 5.2 innings while allowing seven hits and four runs. Bryson Adair picked up the win after going 1.1 innings and allowing two runs off of two hits.
 
Four Patriots hitters collected two hits on the night, led by Kaston Mason who went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored.
 
The Patriots will now go for the series split on Sunday afternoon against the Dustdevils. That contest is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. inside Irwin Field.