GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS – The East Central University baseball team fell in the opening two games of the 2017 season in the first two days of the D2 Air Hog Classic. The Tigers first dropped a tight, 5-6, 12-inning decision to No. 6 Lubbock Christian (Thursday, Feb. 2) and then fell 0-6 to Newman (Friday, Feb. 3).
ECU was led at the plate by seniors Jake MeKeel and Kodiak O'Ravez. MeKeel hit .429 in the two games, with three hits, one run and an RBI. O'Ravez added a .400 average, two hits and a run.
A total of seven pitchers saw action in the two games, with senior Jake Wellington and junior Kyle Britt suffering the losses. Wellington threw five innings, striking out seven and allowing four hits and a run. Britt added a K and allowed four hits and four runs.
The Tigers will continue the tournament, Saturday, Feb. 4 with a 10 a.m. game against Washburn and then Sunday, Feb. 5 at 1 p.m. against Oklahoma Christian.
No. 6 Lubbock Christian 6, ECU 5 (12 innings)
The Chaps (1-0) were the first to get on the scoreboard, taking a 0-1 advantage after the first inning.
ECU then took the lead in the top of the fourth, 2-1. Senior Trevor Huie started the inning with a double and was sent to third when junior Carson Bowen reached on an error. Senior Kevin Matthews was walked to load the bases, while allowed junior Connor Stevenson to earn an RBI with a sacrifice fly. MeKeel earned the final RBI with a single to left.
LCU evened the game at two-all in the bottom of the sixth on three hits. The Chaps then regained the lead with a three-run seventh inning.
The Tigers cut into the deficit in the eighth with a single run (3-5). After the first out O'Ravez singled to short. A second out was recorded before Huie was walked and Bowen singled up the middle to earn the RBI.
ECU then came on strong in the ninth to tie the game at five. After an out, MeKeel was walked and redshirt junior Josh Reeves doubled to left field to put MeKeel on third. That allowed him to score on a wild pitch for the first run. O'Ravez then hit into a fielder's choice, but an error allowed a run to score for the tie.
Both teams then had chances to score in the next few innings, but it took LCU until the 12th to get a run across the plate to claim the 5-6 victory.
Newman 6, ECU 0
The second game of the tournament was a tough battle for the Tigers, who ended up falling 0-6.
Newman got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning, with four runs. The Jets (1-1) then added a run in both the fifth and sixth for the final score.
ECU had changes to score in four innings, with runners in scoring position, but could not find the needed hit to get a run across the plate.
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