Baseball battle continues at Mississippi conference

CLINTON, Miss — The University of Texas at Tyler baseball team survived Day 2 of the American Southwest Conference championship round, and advanced to the Championship Series against Mississippi College.

The Patriots were defeated by the Choctaws 15-4 in eight innings on Saturday afternoon, but won the elimination game against The University of Texas at Dallas 4-3 to advance.

Game one against Mississippi College started with a bang.

The Choctaws’ Brannon Walls hit a two run home run in the top of the first. The Patriots scored a run of their own off a single by Paige Hodges.

Mississippi added another run in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly.

The Patriots came alive in the fourth, and thanks to home runs by Jared Hood and Chad Daleiden took a 4-3 lead.

Then the flood gates opened for the Choctaws.

With a man on second and one out, Dan Herrin grounded out to first for what appeared to be the second out. However, umpires ruled that Patriots’ starter Blake Booher balked before the pitch. Therefore, Herrin got another chance, and took advantage. He doubled down the right field line and Andy Smith scored from third. The next batter, Walls, grounded out to first, and Choctaws slugger Bo Bell homered to center to take the lead.

Mississippi added six more runs in the sixth inning and three more in the eighth.

Blake Booher was handed his first loss of the year after starting the season 9-0. Booher gave up six runs on seven hits in five innings of work.

The loss forced the Patriots to play UT-Dallas later that evening, with the loser going home.

The Comets took the first lead in the second inning. Jared Smith scored on a sacrifice fly and an error by Paige Hodges allowed Adam Hudec to score.

Patriots tied the game in the fourth on a two-run home run by Jared Hood, but the Comets re-took the lead in the bottom of the inning on a solo home run by Chris Biguenet.

In the seventh, the Patriots tied the game again on another home run by Hood, and took the lead in the eighth on a single by Hodges that scored Daleiden.

Patriots’ closer Beau Ziegler closed out the game in the ninth to advance the Patriots to the championship game against Mississippi College.

The Patriots must win game one to force a second game. A loss would give the Choctaws the conference championship.

Due to rain, game one has been pushed to 6 p.m Sunday. Game two will be played later today, if necessary.

By Clay Ihlo Sports Writer