Ram baseball wins two of the four game series against Tarleton

Photo by Summer Almaguer: Joe Hauser, sophomore, pitches the ball to Tarleton’s batter.

Photo by Summer Almaguer: Brett David, senior, races to first base after a hit. David plays first base and has a total of 283 putouts
this season.

Throughout the four games this past weekend, Rams baseball battled the Tarleton State Texans and matched them, winning two out of the four games that were played.

Friday’s game kicked the weekend off, and the Rams performed great, beating the Texans six runs to none.

Coming off of a win of 6-0 on Friday, during Saturday’s games, the Rams just weren’t all there offensively and lost both games in the doubleheader 1-3 and 1-2, respectively. However, they made up for it in a big win on Sunday with a score of 11-4.

According to angelosports.com, Coach Brooks was very confident in the abilities of his left-handed pitcher Steve Naemark from the first inning of Friday’s game.

Naemark threw nine innings without a score and only allowed four hits for the Texans.

Offensively, Sam Kohler, Paxton DelaGarza, and Derek Tyner gave the Rams the early lead after Kohler got a double steal and was able to score later in the inning, DeLaGarza was walked, and Tyner hit to second base and allowed DeLaGarza to score.

Saturday the odds were not in the Rams’ favor. It was clear from their playing that the Rams were just having an off-day.

Sunday the Rams recovered from the doubleheader loss of the day before, winning 11-4. They ended up winning four out of the seven games they played against the Texans this season.

“They played pretty well, considering they lost both games on Saturday,” Marisa Thompson, sophomore, said. “One guy got two home runs for the day. It was the best game I have been to yet.”

The Rams came out strong and performed to the potential that they usually show in the third inning.

The first inning was rough on the Rams when Tarleton loaded the bases and were able to plate a run when the Texans’ Senior Kevin Meredith was walked, which led to Johnathan Schmitz getting his only run for the day.

The Rams began the third inning scoring four runs off of three hits. Sophomore Nehwon Norkeh got things moving for the Rams when he hit a double to center field. This allowed Senior Cody Semler, who had already stolen second and advanced to third on a throwing error, a chance to run in for the Rams’ first of many runs that evening.

Norkeh led the Rams by gaining 3 runs batted in and hit a home run, one of two runs he scored for the Rams. According to angelosports.com, Norkeh now has the longest reached base streak, which stands at nine games, after his three hits on Sunday.

Senior Derek Tyner hit two home runs this game, the first Ram to have two home runs in a single game since the 2013 season. Sam Kohler and Brett Davis each scored one run apiece.

The defensive presence from the Rams was very tangible and aggressive, allowing only four runs spread throughout eight innings.

“I think they did really well,” Rebekah Cain, junior, said. “They went out and put in a great effort. This is the first baseball game I’ve been to this season but I’m excited to see how they progress and improve throughout the rest of the season.”

The Rams play St. Mary’s Rattlers in San Antonio Tuesday, April 14, for their next outing. The next home game for the Rams is on Monday, April 20, against McMurry University.