Abram Choate, SID
BROWNWOOD, Texas – It was a 13-12 walk-off walk win for the Howard Payne University baseball team over Sul Ross State Friday afternoon at Don Shepard Park.
With the bases loaded, the game tied at 12 and two outs, Ben Butler walked in the winning run Ryan Abbott from third. Butler had already hit two home runs to left field on the day before the deciding at-bat, including a two-run jack that gave the Jackets their lead back in the bottom of the eighth, 12-11.
Before the dramatic last inning though, there were five other lead changes and one tie.
To start the game, Sul Ross grabbed one run in the top of the first. The Jackets would counter and get four runs in the bottom of the frame, including Butler's first home run, a Jordan Hammontree triple and a Ryan Klose double.
In the second, the Lobos would explode for eight runs, and take the Jackets starting pitcher Jonathan Morris out the game. Morris gave up seven earned runs to the Sul Ross Lobos. The big inning for the Lobos was thanks to the four walks, a triple and several singles, giving them the lead 9-4.
Howard Payne's Robert Anders would come out the bull pin for relief, only giving up two more runs before the inning was over.
After falling behind, the Jackets clawed back into the game, grabbing three runs in the bottom of the third and one in the forth to pull within one run of the Lobos, 9-8.
Sul Ross would extend their lead late when they got two more runs off some small ball in the top of the seventh to make the game 8-11.
After that, the Yellow Jackets' bats awoke. The four-run inning started with Hammontree doubling down the right line, followed by a Taylor Zambreski single that took Hammontree to third. After a pass ball, Zambreski moved to second. Next Dustin Cole tapped a single to right field, bringing in Hammontree from third. Then a wild pitch from Lobo pitcher Jose Gonzales would score Zambreski and pull the Jackets within one run 10-11.
Next with two outs, Butler hit his second homer of the day on a 2-2 count to deep left field scoring Cole to take the lead back the for Jackets, 12-11.
With their backs against the wall and needing a run, the Lobos executed and manufactured a run to make the game 12-12. Cameron Sellstrom knocked a single into right field scoring Brennyn from third base after reaching on a single to start the inning.
After walking lead-off batter Ryan Abbott to start the bottom of the inning, Hammontree bunted over Abbott to second. That was followed by a Zambreski pop up to center and then another walk. With two outs, the next batter, Cole would load the bases after he was given first base when catchers interference was called. So with the bases loaded, Butler stepped up to the plate.
After falling down in the count 2-0, pitcher Cody Johnson would throw a strike to make the count 2-1. After that he would throw two straight balls and walk in the winning run leading to the Yellow Jackets 13-12 win.
Butler ended the day with two home runs and five hits, scoring two runs. Ryan Klose was three of five with one RBI and one run scored.
Reed Klose got the win on the mound for the Jackets pitching one and one-third innings, allowing just two hits, no runs, and striking out two.
The Yellow Jackets go to 6-13 on the season and 2-5 in American Southwest Conference play. Sul Ross Drops to 11-11 overall and 3-4.
The next game for the Jackets is a double-header aginst Sul Ross that starts tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. , March 26 at Don Shepard Park.
