On the strength of its fifth-straight double-digit hit attack and junior pitcher Cody Whitley tying a season-high with seven strikeouts, the LeTourneau University baseball team posted an 8-4 win over Texas-Dallas on Thursday evening.
The YellowJackets (30-12) waited nearly three hours to play the game after lightning and rain filled the Austin area. When action started, LeTourneau picked up where it left off in Wednesday's 10-run victory, 14-4, over Louisiana College.
Sophomore Dillon Yates delivered a two-out, two-RBI double in the first for the early lead. The Waxahachie native finished the night 2-for-5 with three RBI and called a strong game behind the plate for Whitley and reliever Josh Gimre. Also with multiple hits in the win were Garrett Methvin, who had two and Bryce Griffin added three.
For LeTourneau, Whitley pitched 7.2 innings, scattering seven hits, three runs – one earned and fanned seven to raise his record to 6-2. In the first and fourth innings, the Dickinson native had a pair of strikeouts.
The Comets (25-16) were led by Patrick Fly, who had three hits and Nick Marti, who added two more to lead a nine-hit performance. Texas-Dallas starter Nick Cummings lasted 1.1 innings, allowing two hits, four runs – all earned and struck out three in the loss to fall to 3-4.
With a 2-0 lead in the top of the 2nd, LeTourneau added to its lead on a bases-loaded, RBI walk by senior Chris Bertram and a RBI groundout by Garrett Methvin to stretch the lead to 4-0. The Comets' Pierce Fly had the first of three hits with a RBI single in the bottom of the second, cutting the LeTourneau lead to 4-1.
The YellowJackets added a run each in the fourth and fifth to stretch the lead to 6-1. Texas-Dallas cut into the LeTourneau lead when they scored a pair of unearned runs in the sixth after an error by the YellowJackets.
With a 6-3 lead, a RBI single by Caleb Pritchett in the eighth and a RBI double by Yates in the ninth provided ample insurance for the LeTourneau pitching staff. The Comets picked up a run in the bottom half of the ninth for the final margin.
Next, LeTourneau – the No. 2 seed – will face host Concordia – the No. 1 seed – at 4 p.m. at Tornado Field on Friday.
Photos
| Post-Game Interview with Cody Whitley and Dillon Yates