Baseball Downs Austin in Final Game of Series
March 9, 2008

The University of Texas at Tyler baseball team finished off a three-game sweep of Austin College by downing the ‘Roos, 7-6, on Sunday afternoon at Irwin Field.

In the first inning, the Patriots jumped out to an early 3-0 lead when senior Andrew Damewood (Plano, Texas) scored junior Kendall Fox (Carrollton, Texas) off of a single. Four batters later junior Jared Hood (Marshall, Texas) hit a two RBI double down the left field line to score Damewood and junior Jeremy Harding (Houston, Texas).

In the top of next inning, Austin would pull within one run, scoring off a triple and a sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the second, UT Tyler added two more runs when senior Clay Baker (Henderson, Texas) and Damewood each hit RBI doubles to put the Patriots up by three.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Patriots picked up one more run when senior Chris Goss (Waco, Texas) scored off a passed ball to give his team a 6-2 lead. Goss would finish the day by going 2-for-3 with three runs.

The ‘Roos would add one run in each of the next two innings to make the score 6-4 going into the eighth inning.

The Patriots would finish their scoring in the bottom of the eighth, when Kendal Fox singled down the left field line to score Chris Goss, giving the Patriots 7-4 lead.

In the top of the ninth, UT Tyler reliever Jed Rehfus (Lakewood, N.J) retired the first batter via ground out, walked the second and struck out the third to put the Patriots just one out away from the win. However, Austin’s pitcher Bobby Schleizer had other ideas, as he homered off of the first pitch from Rehfus to make the score 7-6. But the next batter for the Roos would ground out to third base, ending the game and giving the Patriots the win.

Senior Ryan Campell (Tomball, Texas) picked up his fourth win of the year on the mound for the Patriots, while Rehfus earned his first save of the season.

The win not only lifted the Patriots to 15-1 on the year, but it gave them their 41st consecutive home victory and gave head coach James Vilade his 251st career collegiate win. According to d3baseball.com, UT Tyler is the first program of the 2008 season to reach 15 wins. Meanwhile, the loss drops Austin College to 6-9 on the season.

The Patriots will return to action on Monday in Abilene, Texas when they take on ASC West rival McMurry at 4 p.m.

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