The LeTourneau University baseball team began its defense of its American Southwest Conference Tournament title with a doubleheader at Louisiana College on Friday in Pineville. The YellowJackets split a twinbill with the host Wildcats, losing game one - 1-0 and winning the nightcap – 7-4.
A four-run ninth inning propelled the YellowJackets to the doubleheader split for the 7-4 win. Two of the four runs came in on a two-RBI hit by junior pinch hitter Quinn Brankin, the other two came courtesy of a pair of Wildcats' wild pitches.
To start the inning, the first two batters – Landon Methvin and Ryan Bertram singled to put runners on first and second. Then, a sacrifice bunt by Taylor Empkey moved the runners to second and third with one out to bring Caleb Pritchett at the plate. A pair of wild pitches by reliever Tripp Davis put LETU back in front by a 4-3 margin.
A walk to Pritchett, a Bryce Henry single and a walk to Kyle Jacobs loaded the bases for Sean Sellers, who reached on a fielder's choice to reload the bases with two out. Then, the reigning ASC Coaching Staff of the Year under the direction of head coach Robin Harriss went to the bench and called on Brankin. The Southlake native responded with a single to center field, scoring Jacobs and Henry for a three-run lead, 7-4.
LETU reliever Josh Gimre, who entered the game in the bottom of the 7th, returned to the mound in the ninth withstood a threat by the Wildcats. A pair of hits brought the tying run to the plate until he got a ground out to preserve the win for LeTourneau and to pick up his first win of the season.
LeTourneau junior catcher Dillon Yates ended 15 innings of scoreless baseball for the YellowJackets with a two-run home run in the sixth to put LETU ahead 2-0 in the sixth inning of the nightcap.
Earlier in the game, LeTourneau junior catcher Dillon Yates ended 15 innings of scoreless baseball for the YellowJackets with a two-run home run in the sixth to put LETU ahead 2-0. The Wildcats came back to tie it with two unearned runs to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning.
LeTourneau came back to score in the top of the 7th on a RBI single by Henry for a 3-2 lead. Again, the Wildcats rallied for the second time in the game to take a 4-3 lead on a pair of RBI doubles by Garrett Parsons and Mark Riedenau.
In a no decision, LETU senior starterJustin Jenkins went six innings, scattering eight hits and striking out 10. Offensively, LeTourneau had a season-high 12 hits in the win with two hits each from Henry, Jacobs, Methvin and Bertram.
The YellowJackets and Wildcats will wrap up the weekend series with a contest at noon at Billy Allgood Field in Pineville.