LETU routs Eureka College

LONGVIEW – The LeTourneau University baseball team exploded for 24 runs and 22 hits in a 24-6rout of Eureka College Wednesday afternoon at Conrad-Vernon Field.

 

After a scoreless first, the YellowJackets (5-9) used a five-run second to grab a 5-0 lead.

 

Charles Johnson, who went 1-for-3, walked to begin the frame and scored on a double by Daniel Francis. Joey Ramos moved Francis to third on a sacrifice bunt. Eric Wait, who was 3-for-5, doubled to plate Francis and moved to third on a passed ball. Brent Sellers followed with a sacrifice fly to center to plate Wait. Dustin Varnado singled to left-center and Logan Smith reached on an error. Both advanced a base as Travis Self walked to load the bases. Chad McCallum reached on an infield single to score Varnado. Johnson, batting for the second time in the frame, walked to bring in Smith to give the YellowJackets a 5-0 advantage.

 

The Red Devil answered with a four-run third to close the gap to 5-4, and scored two in the fourth to take its only lead of the day, 6-5.

 

LeTourneau responded with an eight-run inning in the bottom of the frame to take a 13-6 advantage.

 

Smith, who went 4-for-7, homered to begin the inning. Self was hit by a pitch and McCallum advanced him a base on a sacrifice bunt. Johnson walked and Francis singled to score Self. After a pitching change, Ramos singled to left to keep the bases loaded. Wait followed with a base hit to left to score Johnson and Francis. Ramos scored on a passed ball and Sellers walked. Varnado ripped a double to left to score Wait as Sellers stopped at third. Smith grounded out to the shortstop as Sellers scored. The inning continued as Self singled to right to plate Varnado to give LeTourneau a commanding 13-6 lead.

 

The YellowJackets put the game away with three runs in the fifth and sixth, one in the seventh and four in the eighth for a 24-6 victory.

 

Kirby Cantalamessa started for Letourneau, going two innings. He gave up four runs on two hits with six walks and four strikeouts. Josh Peschell, Kody Smith, Austin Oden (2-1), Tyler Kaminski and Jeremy Burke pitched in relief, with Oden earning the win.

 

Charles Sadowski took the loss by working 3 1/3 innings. He surrendered 11 runs (seven earned) on 10 hits and walking four.

 

LeTourneau travels 2:00 p.m., Friday, March 12 to Irving, Texas to open a three-game series against the University of Dallas.