SEATTLE — Seattle U baseball battled Tarleton in a pair of one-run games on Saturday as the Redhawk took game one of the doubleheader 3-2, before coming up short, 6-5, in game two.
Trailing 2-1 in the series, Seattle U (10-15, 4-7 WAC) will return to action tomorrow with the series finale as it looks to salvage the weekend. First pitch is slated for 12 pm.
Game 1: SU 3, TAR 2
The Redhawks grabbed momentum early in the opener after starter Alex Jemal faced the minimum in the first, despite allowing a lead-off hit thanks in part to a heads up play from right fielder Chase Wells who helped manufacture an inning-ending double play.
The offense then provided support in the home half with back-to-back one-out walks. Justin Mazzone then launched a towering shot to right-center, lifting SU to a 3-0 advantage. It was his fourth home run of the season.
Then in the third, Tarleton cut the SU advantage to one, as it scratched across two runs on one hit, making it 3-2.
From there it remained relatively quiet for both sides as they combined for one hit and two base runners over the next two innings. Excitement picked in the sixth as Tarleton threatened to at least tie late, but was eventually left empty-handed as Jemal worked his way of the jam leaving two Texans stranded in scoring position.
The right-hander then made way for Lucas Ford who closed out the opener and recorded his fifth career save. Jemal (2-4) in turn was credited with the win after tossing three strikeouts in six innings and allowing zero earned runs.
Game 2: SU 5, TAR 6
After combining for five runs on 10 hits in the game one, game two turned out to be a much more offensive contest as the teams combined for 11 runs and finished with 10 hits apiece.
Following a scoreless first, Tarleton opening the scoring with a three-run second as it again capitalized on a defensive miscues from the hits, while tacking on a pair of hits.
Seattle U immediately responded during the home half with a five-hit frame as it tied the contest at 3-3. Mazzone led off the inning with a double, before being driven in with a triple by Connor O'Brien. He then scored during Derek Gellos' at-bat to make it 3-2. Three batters later, Gavin Rork then poked a single through the middle scoring Drake Manigno for the tying run.
The teams traded runs again in the third as Tarleton used small ball to push Blake Burns across, while the Redhawks benefitted from Connor O'Brien's fourth home run of year.
In the sixth, Tarleton again relied on small ball as it manufactured two runs on three hits en route to claiming a 6-4 advantage. Unlike the prior innings, the Redhawks were only able to pull one run back as Chase Wells registered an RBI single.
From there, the Seattle U offense was kept off-balance as it went 0-for-9 at the plate with a walk.
On the mound, reliever Nestor German (2.1 IP) was charged with the loss as he surrendered two runs on three hits. He was proceeded by Seattle U starter Kohl Petersen (1.1 IP) and Desmond Parisotto (1.2 IP), while Alex McBee (2.0 IP) and Brady Liddle (1.2 IP) followed.