Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Texarkana College gets sweep over Paris...

Texarkana College gets sweep over Paris
By: Johnny Green - Texarkana Gazette - Published: 04/21/2009

It took awhile, but the home-field advantage finally took hold for Texarkana College Monday.

After three straight doubleheader splits at home in conference play, the Bulldogs posted a 5-1, 11-5 sweep of Paris Junior College at George Dobson Field, keeping TC’s conference championship hopes alive.

“Both Navarro and Panola split their games last weekend, so we gained a game on both of them,” said Bulldogs coach Will Bolt. “What was good about today was Paris had their two best guys on the mound, and they’re two of the better pitchers in the league as far as numbers go.”

The Bulldogs didn’t exactly rock first-game starter David Carpenter, collecting only three hits off him in five innings and just four for the game. But that was plenty for right-hander John Stilson, who surrendered only an unearned run before tiring in the sixth inning.

But Zach Sneed, who beat TC, 4-1, at Paris earlier in the season, lasted only two innings in the nightcap as the Bulldogs pelted five Dragons pitchers for 16 hits, including the ninth home runs of the season by David Allday and Joaquin Hinojosa.

“I thought we made the most of our opportunities in the first game,” Bolt said. “We did a good job of situational hitting, getting bunts down and a couple of two-strike sacrifice flies. And Stilson did his thing on the mound, commanding the strike zone with two pitches.”

Pitching before several professional scouts, Stilson struck out seven and walked two and was in command from the start. He surrendered three straight 1-out singles in the sixth, but Hinojosa came on with the bases loaded and struck out the two batters he faced, ending the game.

Texarkana made the most of just four hits, taking advantage of five walks by Carpenter and four Dragon fielding errors. The Bulldogs scored three runs on just two hits, an error and a hit batsman. Thomas Watson drove in two runs with a single, and Trey Buck plated the other with a sacrifice fly.

The other runs in the fifth came without benefit of a hit. Carpenter walked the leadoff batter, hit the next, and the Dragons (28-18, 10-13) committed two more errors. Zach Fowler’s sacrifice fly drove in one run. Fowler, Austin Atwell and Jordy Snikeris had the other TC hits, all singles.

Justin Fowler went 5 1/3 innings to pick up the pitching win, allowing three runs, seven hits, striking out two and walking four. Sean Cole, Colton Reavis and Justin Fielden finished up.

“It was good to see Justin battle through some adversity out there,” Bolt said. “He made some good pitches when he needed to, and had some good defensive plays behind him.”

The Bulldogs turned four double plays, two triggered by center fielder Austin Atwell.

Hinojosa had a triple and Allday a double to go with their home runs. Zach Fowler added a triple and double, Trey Buck, Atwell and Jake Rogers a double and single each, Lance Marvel two singles and Watson a double.

The Bulldogs (30-13, 15-8) return to action at Dobson Wednesday against Angelina College.



GAME 1

Paris Junior College 000 001 0 — 1 8 4

Texarkana College 000 320 x — 5 4 2

David Carpenter, Britt Melton (6) and Andy Lalumandier. John Stilson, Joaquin Hinojosa (7) and Jordy Snikeris. WP-Stilson. LP-Carpenter.



GAME 2

Paris Junior College 001 002 101 — 5 13 1

Texarkana College 220 011 05x — 11 16 1

Zach Sneed, Britt Melton (3), Chris Pearson (5), Taylor Robichau (7), Cole Whitaker (8), Zach Rimlinger (8) and Abe Williams, Taylor Bruce (5). Justin Fowler, Sean Cole (6), Colton Reavis (7), Justin Fielden (9) and Lance Marvel, Jordy Snikeris (9). WP-Fowler. LP-Sneed. HR: TC-David Allday, 5th, none on; Joaquin Hinojosa, 8th, 1 on.