TC Bulldogs’ season held together by Bolt

By: Johnny Green - Texarkana Gazette -

Published: 05/01/2009

Will Bolt was not exactly the popular choice when former Texarkana College president Frank Coleman named him head coach of the Bulldogs baseball program in the spring of 2007.

The selection took a lot of folks by surprise, primarily because they felt Chad Massengale had earned the position by coaching the Bulldogs to the Region XIV tournament finals on an interim basis. It was Massengale and volunteer assistant Jake Beasley who saved the team from a possible internal implosion after head coach James Mansinger resigned under fire.

That they weren’t rewarded for their work was cause for resentment toward Coleman directly, and Bolt indirectly, although the latter came highly recommended by three former Bulldog coaches, all of whom he had worked for and learned from at either Nebraska or Texas A&M.

Two years later the Bolt hiring is a good example that the best decisions are made from the head, not the heart. And while we may never know how the Massengale/Beasley combination would have fared at TC, there is little question Coleman’s choice was a good one.

It was feared Bolt’s hiring would result in the exodus of several players loyal to Massengale and with remaining eligibility. That did happen in a few cases, but Bolt did manage to convince local recruits David Allday, Lance Marvel and Zach Fowler to keep their TC commitments.

Bolt’s first team, a mixture of players recruited by Bolt and Mansinger the year before, made the Region XIV tournament as the third seed. The Bulldogs lost two straight games in the double-elimination event, finishing 33-23 overall.

Of the current Bulldogs, only third-year sophomore Thomas Watson, Marvel, Zach Fowler and Justin Fowler weren’t signed by Bolt. Allday officially came on board after Bolt was hired.

Those four, along with returnees Trey Buck and Gip Hendrix, and sophomore transfer Joaquin Hinojosa, played integral roles in the Bulldogs’ march to the No. 1 seed in the East Zone this spring as did a strong freshman class headed by surprising mound ace John Stilson from Texas High.

It turned out to be just the right mixture for an East Zone championship, but the most intriguing part of the story was the route the Bulldogs took to the title.

Because of an unusually wet spring and the drainage problems at George Dobson Field, Bolt was forced to take his team on the road for the first six conference doubleheaders.

Counting a loss to Paris Junior College in a rain-suspended twin bill, the Bulldogs welcomed last-place Lon Morris to Dobson Field on April 1 for their first home series with a 6-5 record. It marked the first home appearance for TC since the final of a four-game series with Coffeyville, Kan., Junior College on Feb. 22.

A sweep of Lon Morris and completion of the suspended game-win over Paris made the eventual road record 9-5, but the home-field advantage in the second half of the season didn’t quite work out the way Bolt had hoped.

A sweep of Panola College, which gave TC a 3-1 edge over the team it eventually tied for the title, was followed by three straight splits, leaving the Bulldogs close but still behind both Panola and Navarro College, the only team with a 3-1 advantage over Texarkana.

But the Bulldogs won their last seven games, and final-day splits by Navarro and Panola pushed TC ahead of the former in the standings and gave it the tie-breaker over the latter.

“The way we won it speaks of the resiliency of this group of kids,” Bolt said. “We didn’t make excuses; we said we had to take care of business, got hot down the stretch, and that’s the way it played out. We won at the right time of the year.”

TC’s assent to the conference throneroom in just his second season at the school was no surprise to Bolt, who bears an incredible on-field resemblance to current Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn, the man generally given credit for resurrecting the Bulldog program a couple of decades ago.

“We talked to the kids when we recruited them and when they first set foot on campus about our three goals,” Bolt said. “We want to first win the conference championship, then the regional title, then the national championship. When you talk about it enough to make it important, then you can do it.”

Evidently the Bulldogs are taking Bolt at his word, and while much tougher roads lie ahead, it’s clear the choice Coleman made two years ago was a wise one.

Bulldogs outlast Paris to wrap up No. 1 seed

Published: 04/29/2009

d. allday

stop start <- prev next ->

PARIS, Texas—Mission accomplished.

In a game that took more than a month to complete, Texarkana College wrapped up the East Zone’s No. 1 seed in the upcoming Region XIV tournament by outlasting Paris Junior College, 14-8, Tuesday at Hub Hollis Field.

The win boosted TC’s overall record to 36-13, and its conference mark to 20-8, tying the Bulldogs with Panola College for first place. But since Texarkana won the season series from Panola 3-1, the Bulldogs receive the top seed from the East. They will play Galveston College, the fourth seed from the South Zone, in the first round of the tournament that opens May 9 at Blinn College in Brenham.

Tuesday’s game actually started March 25 but was suspended in the fifth inning with TC holding an 8-2 lead. Both teams had identical scoring innings of two runs in the eighth and four runs in the ninth when the game resumed.

David Allday, who had homered in the original game, his second of the game with a runner aboard in the eighth. The Bulldogs first baseman finished with four hits in six at-bats, driving in seven runs.

Joaquin Hinojosa was 5 for 6, including a double and triple and four runs batted in. John Stilson had a double and single, and Austin Atwell, Brian Ellis and Gip Hendrix two singles each in the Bulldogs’ 20-hit attack.

Tanner Bailey, who originally started the game, went back to the mound at the restart and pitched through the eighth inning to record his eighth win in nine decisions. Colton Reavis pitched the ninth.

The Bulldogs were originally scheduled to play a home game against Arkansas Baptist College on Tuesday, but it was put on hold for the makeup game with Paris. TC coach Will Bolt said he will try to reschedule Arkansas Baptist over the weekend.




Texarkana College 341 000 024 — 14 20 1

Paris Junior College 002 000 024 — 8 13 1

Tanner Bailey, Colton Reavis (9) and Jordy Snikeris. Zach Remlinger, Taylor Robichau (3), Chase McCain (5), Matt Zapata (8) and Brian Wuest. WP-Bailey (8-1). LP-Remlinger. HR: TC-David Allday, 1st, 2 on; Allday, 8th, 1 on; PJC-Jordan Easom, 9th, 1 on.

Paris in progress game will be played Tuesday...

The in progress game vs. Paris will be played at Paris Tuesday, April 28th @ 2:30 & will start in the 5th inning TC up 8-2.

Texarkana College sweeps Lon Morris

Published: 04/27/2009

JACKSONVILLE, Texas—The Texarkana Bulldogs kept their chances alive for the No. 1 seed in the regional tournament with a sweep of Lon Morris Sunday in Region XIV action.

The Bulldogs took the opening game of the twin bill, 10-0, behind a strong pitching performance from John Stilson. In the second game, Texarkana College used a 6-run fifth inning to claim an 8-4 victory. TC improves to 34-13 overall and 19-8 in region action.

Stilson hurled a complete-game shutout and gave up just six hits while fanning seven in the first game.

Jake Rogers’ 2-out grand slam home run in the seventh inning completed the scoring for the Bulldogs. Rogers finished with five RBI on the day.

Trey Buck and Brian Ellis each had a double, and Jordy Snikeris added a 2-run double. Lance Marvel added a pair of hits and an RBI.

In the nightcap, Snikeris drove in four runs on a pair of hits, including a double. David Allday and Joaquin Hinojosa each had two hits and an RBI, and Rogers finished with a triple and a single. Ellis contributed a pair of hits, including a double.

Texarkana looks to secure the top seed Tuesday when they travel to Paris to complete a rain-delayed game, which the Bulldogs lead 8-2 in the fifth inning. A win would give TC the one seed as they hold a 3-1 edge in head-to-head competition over the Panola Ponies, who finished the season with a 20-8 mark in region play.



First Game

Texarkana College 000 104 5 — 10 9 0

Lon Morris 000 000 0 — 0 6 1

John Stilson and Jordy Snikeris. Dustin Wyble, Clay Hamblett (5) and Steven Wostal. WP-Stilson. LP-Wybel. HR: TC-Jake Rogers, 7th inning, three on.



Second Game

Texarkana College 001 061 000 — 8 13 3

Lon Morris 003 100 000 — 4 8 1

Justin Fowler, Shane Cole (5), Joaquin Hinojosa (9) and Jordy Snikeris and Lance Marvel (5). Justin Davis, Matthew Hamilton (4), Jake Flowers (6) and Carlos Gonzalez. WP-Cole. LP-Justin Davis.

Updated Spring Schedule

Overall 37-13-1 Conference 20-8

Texarkana College Baseball

2009 Spring Schedule

tcbulldogbaseball.blogspot.com

February
7	Temple	Texarkana, TX	2pm	L, W
8	Eastern Oklahoma	Texarkana, TX	2pm	W,W
12	Galveston JC	Lufkin HS	1pm	W
13	Grayson*	Brenham, TX	5:30pm	L
13	Blinn*	Brenham, TX	8pm	L
14	Wharton*	Brenham, TX	3pm	W
14	Navarro*	Brenham, TX	5:30pm	W
20	Coffeyville	Texarkana, TX	4pm	W
21	Coffeyville	Texarkana, TX	noon	W, W
22	Coffeyville	Texarkana, TX	noon	W
24	Eastern Oklahoma	Wilburton, OK	noon	W, W
28	Meredian & Northeast OK	Shreveport, LA (BPCC Field)	2pm & 5pm	L, W
March
1	Northeast OK & Weatherford	Shreveport, LA (BPCC Field)	10am & 1pm	L, W
6	Chipola College	Baton Rouge, LA (Southern University)	noon	W,T
11	Panola	Carthage, TX	1pm	W, L
14	Navarro	Corsicana, TX	1pm	L, L
18	Northeast	Mt. Pleasant, TX	1pm	W, W
21	BPCC	Shreveport, LA	1pm	W, W
25	Paris	Paris, TX	1pm	L,IP
28	Angelina	Lufkin, TX	1pm	L, W
30	Tyler	Tyler, TX	2pm	W
April
1	Lon Morris	Texarkana, TX	1pm	W, W
4	Panola	Texarkana, TX	1pm	W, W
8	Navarro	Texarkana, TX	1pm	L, W
10	Northeast	Texarkana, TX	1pm	L, W
13	Tyler	CANCELED	2pm
15	BPCC	Texarkana, TX	1pm	W, L
20	Paris	Texarkana, TX	1pm	W, W
	Brookhaven	CANCELED	2pm
22	Angelina	Texarkana, TX	1pm	W, W
26	Lon Morris	Jacksonville, TX	1pm	W, W
28 May 2 9-13	Paris Ark Baptist Region XIV Tournament	Paris, TX Texarkana, TX Brenham, TX	2pm noon	W W

Lon Morris game moved to Sunday @ 1:00...

The Lon Morris game will be played at Jacksonville High School @ 1:00 on Sunday, April 26th.

2009 Division I Region 14 Tournament...

2009 Division I Region 14 Tournament | May 9, 2009

Site: Blinn College, Brenham, Tex.

Date: May 9-12, 2009

Schedule TBA

TC clips Roadrunners’ wings

Doubleheader sweep puts Texarkana in second in East

By: Johnny Green - Texarkana Gazette -

Published: 04/23/2009

Staff photo by Tanner Spendley Texarkana College’s John Stilson doesn’t make it to first base before the throw to Angelina College’s Chase Hernandez on Wednesday at George Dobson Field. The Roadrunners dropped the doubleheader, 14-6, 15-5, continuing a losing streak at Dobson that began in 2001.

Wednesday’s Region XIV doubleheader at George Dobson Field was the latest reminder why Angelina College dreads making its annual trip to Texarkana.

The Roadrunners, who haven’t won at Dobson since 2001, will no doubt have that same feeling of trepidation next year after dropping 14-6 and 15-5 decisions to Texarkana College, which moved into second place behind Panola College in the East Zone standings. Panola (19-7) swept league-leading Navarro College (16-8), 9-2 and 5-2, Wednesday.

The Bulldogs (32-13, 17-8) overcame a 7-6 deficit by scoring eight runs in the sixth inning of the opener, then belted out 17 hits, including two home runs by former Arkansas High standout Lance Marvel, to take the nightcap, called after seven innings on the 10-run rule.

“We had a good approach at the plate going all day,” TC coach Will Bolt said. “We used the entire field, hit some balls in the gap and squared up balls on hitters’ counts. It was good to see it carry over from Game 2 against Paris Monday.”

First-game starter Tanner Bailey struggled, giving up the lead on a three-run homer in the fourth inning by Paul Prestera. The Roadrunners (27-21, 13-12) tacked on two more runs in the fifth to take a 7-4 lead, but the Bulldogs got those two back in the bottom of the inning on David Allday’s two-run single.

Then after Joaquin Hinojosa came on to fan Chase Hernandez with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth, TC paraded 13 batters to the plate, scoring eight runs on seven hits against three Angelina relievers.

Pinch-hitter Gip Hendrix’s three-run double was the big blow in the rally. Thomas Watson had two hits in the inning and Trey Buck an RBI double. Angelina had one of its four errors in the frame, and allowed another batter to reach first base on a wild pitch following a strikeout.

Watson had three hits, including a double, Buck and Allday had a double and single each, Jordy Snikeris two hits and Allday drove in four runs.

Hinojoso picked up the win, pitching to just one batter. Shane Cole pitched the seventh. Bailey gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

“We needed a stop on the mound in the sixth inning and Hinojosa gave it to us,” Bolt said. “We took the momentum from that into the bottom of the sixth, and probably into the next game.”

Zach Fowler was the recipient of the Bulldogs’ big bats in the nightcap. He went all seven innings, yielding 11 hits, walking two and striking out one.

“Zach was better today; I thought he was really attacking the strike zone and didn’t always get credit for it,” Bolt said. “He just had a different demeanor about him today. In the first game, Bailey couldn’t put anybody away. He’d get ahead and hang a breaking ball or leave a fastball out over the plate, and they made him pay for it. Angelina does that to people.”

The big inning was again the difference in the second game, the Bulldogs scoring four runs in the fourth inning and seven in the second. After Angelina stalled the run-rule ending with two runs in the seventh, the Bulldogs bounced back to score two in the bottom of the frame to end the game.

Marvel was 3 for 4 with the two home runs and three RBI, and Buck added a solo homer, double and single in four at-bats. Watson drove in three runs with a single and triple, Snikeris doubled twice and Hinojosa added two singles.

The Bulldogs travel to Jacksonville to face last-place Lon Morris College Saturday. TC may still have to complete a game at Paris next week if it affects the final standings. If so, the game will be picked up in the fifth inning with the Bulldogs ahead 8-2.



GAME 1

Angelina College 101 320 1 — 8 9 4

Texarkana College 310 028 x — 14 15 1

Cory Benavides, Chase Barrera (6), Heath Arnold (6), Ryan Smith (6) and Chris Jones. Tanner Bailey, Ty Moore (5), Brittan Diamond (5), Joaquin Hinojosa (6), Shane Cole (7) and Jordy Snikeris. WP-Hinojosa. LP-Barrera. HR: AC-Paul Prestera, 4th, 2 on; Michael Padgett, 7th, none on.



GAME 2

Angelina College 000 120 2 — 5 11 1

Texarkana College 110 470 2 — 15 17 0

One out when game ended on 10-run rule.

Miller Aldrich, Ryland Parker (5), John Tatum (5), Mark Serna (7) and Benito Gonzales, Jerrod Dugas (6). Zach Fowler and Jordy Snikeris, Michael Long (7). WP-Fowler (6-3). LP-Aldrich. HR: TC-Lance Marvel, 2nd, none on; Trey Buck, 4th, none on; Marvel, 5th, 1 on.

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.

Paris Game moved to Monday...

The Paris game scheduled for Sunday @ 1:00 has been canceled and scheduled for Monday time TBA depending on the time the field dries.

Game vs. Paris Canceled for tomorrow...

Game vs. Paris Canceled for Saturday, April 18th. Will be tentatively moved to Sunday at 1:00 & if the field is too wet Monday @ 1:00.

Pictures from Navarro Game on 4-6-09...Photos by Amy Rodgers

TC can’t split with trend

By: Johnny Green - Texarkana Gazette -

Published: 04/16/2009

Texarkana College seems to be reaching the point where it can’t win for losing.

The Bulldogs divided their third straight home series on Wednesday at George Dobson Field, edging Bossier Parish Community College, 2-1, in the first game of the Region XIV doubleheader, but dropping the nightcap, 12-7.

In earlier splits with Navarro College and Northeast Texas Community College, the Bulldogs had to win the second games after losing the openers.

“It was not a very good day. Offensively, we were totally out of our normal approach, chasing everything and not swinging at the pitches we needed to,” said Bulldogs coach Will Bolt after TC managed just 10 hits in the two games. “I thought we got a great effort on the mound in the first game, and it was what we were needing.”

Freshman right-hander Tanner Bailey, who normally starts the nine-inning nightcaps, went the distance in the seven-inning opener, scattering six hits, striking out five and walking two. He also hit a batter. The only run he surrendered was unearned, the result of his own throwing error.

“We moved Tanner to the first game because we just needed a spark and a chance to sweep,” Bolt said. “But we made the same mistakes offensively in the second game as we did the first. We really didn’t play particularly well in any facet of the game all day long, despite the split. I’m not real pleased with the way we’ve played.”

The pitching of Bailey (7-1) was really the lone highlight for the Bulldogs on the day. TC (28-13, 13-8) managed just four hits off Cavaliers starter Alex Garcia in the first game, scoring in the fourth inning when Joaquin Hinojosa was hit in the ribs by a pitch, moved to third on David Allday’s single and scored on Gip Hendrix’s sacrifice fly.

Hinojosa finished the game, but was unable to play in the nightcap due to bruised ribs.

TC’s winning run in the sixth was unearned. Brian Ellis blooped a single to left, advanced on a passed ball, took third on an error and scored on Allday’s long sacrifice fly to left. Allday (2 for 2) and Ellis (2 for 3) had all the Bulldogs’ hits.

Bossier Parish (27-15, 8-12) raked four TC pitchers for 17 hits in the second game. Starter Zach Fowler was roughed up for six runs on nine hits through 4 1/3 innings, but first reliever Shane Cole took the loss after the Bulldogs rallied to tie the game with three runs on as many hits in the fifth.

But the Cavaliers scored three runs in each of the seventh and eighth innings, and relievers Mark Taylor and Jamie Gilley held the Bulldogs to two hits and a run the rest of the way.

Thomas Watson broke up a no-hit bid by starter Wesley Grant with a long solo home run in the fourth inning, and Trey Buck delivered a second run in the frame with a sacrifice fly.

No Bulldog had more than one hit in the nightcap. Kyle Morton was 4 for 5, including a double, for BPCC.

Texarkana College hosts Paris Junior College on Saturday, the doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.



GAME 1

Bossier Parish CC 000 010 0 — 1 6 2

Texarkana College 000 101 x — 2 4 1

Alex Garcia and Jarrett Hammond. Tanner Bailey and Jordy Snikeris. WP-Bailey (7-1). LP-Garcia (4-2).



GAME 2

Bossier Parish CC 031 110 330 — 12 17 2

Texarkana College 010 230 010 — 7 6 2

Wesley Grant, Lance Nugent (4), Matt Taylor (5), Jamie Gilley (9) and Jarrett Hammond. Zach Fowler, Shane Cole (5), Colton Reavis (8), Ty Moore (8) and Lance Marvel. WP-Taylor. LP-Cole. HR: TC-Thomas Watson, 4th, none on; BPCC-Ryan Phelps, 5th, none on.

Tyler Game Cancelled...

Game for Monday vs. Tyler is canceled & won't be re-scheduled.

Texarkana College splits doubleheader

By: Johnny Green - Texarkana Gazette -

Published: 04/11/2009

Never has a mascot better described a player as it did Texarkana College pitcher John Stilson on Friday.

The Bulldogs’ lanky right-hander was a bulldog in the conference doubleheader against Northeast Texas Community College at George Dobson Field, going the distance in the 9-inning nightcap as TC salvaged a split with a 7-5 victory.

The Eagles (27-16, 8-10) scored four runs in the first inning and went on to win the opener, 7-3.

NTCC also scored four times off Stilson in the first inning, and added a solo home run by Adam Boucher in the second for a 5-1 lead, but the freshman from Texas High allowed two hits the rest of the way, finishing with 13 strikeouts and 130 pitches. He fanned the side in the eighth and ninth innings.

“They had my pitches in the first two innings. I was hitting my spots, but every pitch I threw they knew what was coming and they were just sitting back and hitting them,” Stilson said. “But we started changing our signs every inning after that. My arm really feels great. I guess my adrenaline kept me going because I never got tired.”

With the bullpen taxed in the first game and closer Joaquin Hinojosa unavailable after pitching three innings Wednesday, TC coach Will Bolt never hesitated in sending Stilson to the mound in the ninth, despite his high pitch count.

“John hadn’t played shortstop in a while, and we really had been montoring his throws,” Bolt said. “And he hadn’t gone above 100 pitches all year, so he had a lot of bullets today that he hadn’t used up this year. He got stronger as the game went on, and we needed him to go deep. We had to go to the pen so much in the first games that we were pretty much out of options.”

The Bulldogs (28-12, 12-7) received a huge break in a 4-run fourth that tied the game. Two runs had already scored on a walk, a double by Austin Atwell and Brian Ellis’s triple, and runners were at second and third with two outs when Gip Hendrix’s ground ball was fielded cleanly by the shortstop. But the throw was evidently lost in the sun by the first baseman and ended up in the visitors’ dugout with the tying runs scoring.

After Stilson worked out of a bases-loaded, 1-out jam in the Eagles fifth, the Bulldogs took their first lead of the day in the sixth. Losing pitcher Jared Mata walked Atwell, wild-pitched him to second and Hinojosa rolled a single through the middle that was stopped by the shortstop to prevent the run scoring. But, with two outs, Mata uncorked another wild pitch, and Atwell scored easily.

The same scenario occurred in the eighth when Trey Buck drew his third walk of the game and eventually scored on a wild pitch by Will Bathe.

Jon Houston’s 2-run double was the big blow in the Eagles’ first when they batted around. Brian Ellis walked and scored on still another wild pitch by starter Nathan Ball in the bottom of the inning. Ellis and Atwell finished with two hits each for TC. Boucher homered and singled for NTCC.

First-game starter Justin Fowler didn’t not retire a batter, yielding four runs on three hits and two walks. Greg Noble and Zach Cates had RBI singles, and another scored on a double-play ball thrown by reliever Ty Moore.

Jake Atwell’s RBI single made it 5-0 in the third, but Hinojoso belted his eighth homer to left with two on in the bottom of the inning to bring the Bulldogs within two. But that was as close as they would get, stranding 10 runners.

“We were into the game. The problem was when we got men on base we tried to do too much,” said Bolt. “Instead of trying to hit the ball up the middle, we were lifting the ball against the wind. That’s not going to work. We fought back with the home run, but we just changed our approach with men on base after that.”

Wes Schill, Atwell and Noble had two hits each for the Eagles. Ellis and Hendrix added doubles for TC.

“We need to start winning both games,” Bolt said. “At the end of the day one and one is just average. We have to find a way to put ourselves back in position to win those first games and take those sweeps.”

The Bulldogs are scheduled to host non-conference foe Tyler Junior College in a single 9-inning game Monday afternoon.



GAME 1

Northeast Texas 401 110 0 — 7 10 1

Texarkana College 003 000 0 — 3 6 1

Michael Nava, Trevor Stinnett (3), Blake Barber (4) and Zach Cates. Justin Fowler, Ty Moore (1), Brittan Diamond (3), Colton Reavis (5) and Jordy Snikeris. WP-Stinnett. LP-Fowler (4-4). HR: TC-Joaquin Hinojosa, 3rd, 2 on.



GAME 2

Northeast Texas 410 000 000 — 5 7 1

Texarkana College 100 401 01x — 7 9 0

Nathan Bell, Justin Jenkins (3), Jared Mata (4), Will Bathe (7) and Zach Cates. John Stilson and Lance Marvel. WP-Stilson (8-1). LP-Mata. HR: NTCC-Adam Boucher, 2nd, none on.