Senior Jon Riley picked up a strikeout and induced a ground ball to preserve a 7-6 win by the LeTourneau University baseball team over Wiley College on Tuesday night at Conrad-Vernon Field in Longview.

Earlier in the inning, the Wildcats had rallied to score three runs in the top of the ninth to set the stage for the heroics by Riley. Offensively for LeTourneau, Chris Bertram and Garrett Methvin each had two hits and two RBI to lead an eight-hit attack. Bertram had RBI singles in the third and fifth and Methvin had a two-RBI double in the eighth which proved to be the difference in the contest.

LeTourneau (17-5) found itself behind 3-0 after the first inning before clawing back to tie the game in the third inning. Starting pitcher Josh Gimre settled down after the first, giving up just one hit over the next four innings of his five-inning outing to pick up the win to raise his record to 2-0.

In addition to the offensive efforts by Chris Bertram and Garrett Methvin, teammates Bryce Griffin, Sean Sellers and Ryan Bertram each scored twice in the win.

Wiley (11-22) also had eight hits in the contest including Jose Ortiz, Jose Cabreja and Carlos Rosario, who each had two in the defeat. Shawn Palmares, in relief of starter Jose Hernandez, was the losing pitcher after a 3.0 inning outing, scattering three hits, two runs – one earned.

After tying the game in the third inning, LeTourneau went ahead in the fifth on a RBI single by Chris Bertram for a 4-3 lead. They added another run in the sixth when they capitalized on an errant throw by the Wildcats' shortstop for a 5-3 advantage. As mentioned earlier, they scored two insurance runs – which proved to be the difference- when Methvin delivered a two-out, two-RBI double in the eighth inning which came after another miscue by the visitors.

In the ninth, the YellowJackets looked to close the door but the Wildcats clawed back into the game with three runs and had the tying run at the plate with one out to set the stage for Riley.

Next, LeTourneau returns to the rigors of the American Southwest Conference when they host a crucial series against No. 16 (D3Baseball.com)/No. 17 (American Baseball Coaches Association) and first place Concordia. The Tornados and the YellowJackets series will get underway on Friday, Mar. 28 at 7 p.m.