TJC Softball Sweeps Angelina

On an extremely gusty day at Schwab Field that sent dirt flying, #2 ranked Tyler Junior College softball team (34-1, 8-0) added two more wins against Region XIV rival and nationally-ranked #10 Angelina College (25-12, 6-4) with scores of 3-2 and 3-0. TJC travels to Corsicana on Wednesday to face off against Navarro College in another conference matchup.

Competition between these two squads was fierce to lead off game one with the first 15 batters of the game being set down in a row. TJC got things started in the third with Brittani Whitten singling to left before a sac bunt moved her up a base. With two outs, Haley Mills then doubled to score her putting the Apaches up 1-0.

However, Angelina looked to tie the game and eventually pulled ahead in the fifth putting two runs on the board. But TJC chipped away at the lead gaining momentum towards the end of the game. In the sixth, Amber Landry led off with a double deep to center. Karli Herron then hopped aboard with a bunt single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Jo Rivera then hit a ball to first and was tagged out. However, on the same play, the Angelina first baseman threw the ball away towards third allowing Landry to score to tie the game.

Angelina threatened in the seventh. With two outs, Kayla Lahrman drew a walk. Tiffany Hinkleman then put a ball in play towards second baseman Mills. It looked at though everyone was safe but Lahrman overran second base with the ball in the pitcher’s mound and was called out to end the Road Runners’ threat. Heading to the home half, Jazylyn Crowder hit an infield single and moved to second on a sac bunt. Then Tanna Huie hit a towering double to left, scoring Crowder who was called safe on a controversial play at the plate. However, she was safe sealing a 3-2 game one win for TJC.

In game two, it was all TJC who took advantage of Angelina errors. In the third, Huie was hit by the pitch and Marina Duran stepped into the box and hit the ball towards short but a throwing error allowed her to go all the way to second. With runners at second and third, Landry brought in both with a single up the middle. In the sixth, Herron hit a solo homer over the left field wall to make it 3-0 TJC and that is where the score stayed as solid Apaches’ defense brought him the win and doubleheader sweep.

TJC vs Arkansas Baptist Game 3

In the series finale, Arkansas Baptist won 3-2 over TJC. However, they lost the weekend series 2-1 and the season series 4-2. Arkansas Baptist’s offense came alive in game two plating one run in the second and two in the third to go up 3-0. Nathan Methvin ended up being the only Apaches’ runner to cross the plate coming in on a ground out in the fourth and hitting a solo homer to right field in the sixth. TJC got a man on the bases in the seventh but was unable to bring him in. Ryan Cheatham was tagged with the loss pitching for five innings allowing three runs on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

TJC vs Arkansas Baptist Game 2

On a beautiful, breezy, and sunny Sunday afternoon Tyler Junior College and Arkansas Baptist College continued battling in game one of the day’s doubleheader. The Apaches came away with a 10-1 victory scoring all of its runs in one inning against a struggling Buffalo’s pitching staff including a three-run home run over the center field wall by Jordan Trahan who did the same thing in last night’s contest. AJ Merkel came away with the win pitching for five innings allowing two hits and no runs while walking one, hitting one with a pitch, and striking out five. Here are some shots from the first game of the doubleheader.

TJC vs Arkansas Baptist Game 1

Due to rain, the Tyler Junior College baseball games got moved to a single game tonight and a doubleheader tomorrow starting at noon. In game one tonight, TJC came away with a 6-0 win and had a stellar pitching performance from starter Jonathan Groff who threw a complete game shutout and had a no-hitter going to the seventh. He also struck out 17 batters on the evening. Here are some shots from tonight’s victory.