By: Justin Hargrove, NTCC Assistant Athletic Director
The Northeast Texas Community College (17-31, 8-18) baseball team faced Angelina College (28-18, 14-13) in three games last weekend. NTCC was unable to pick up a win in the series.
The Eagles hosted the Roadrunners for game one on Friday. Despite an early lead, the eagles were defeated 9-5.
The Eagles got things going in the first inning when Jonathon Carrillo singled on a 2-1 count, scoring Cody Cleveland who had reached on a walk to lead things off. John Michael Russ scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Issac Rivera to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles scored two more runs in the second inning and one in the fourth, but could not manage to plate any more runs.
With the game tied at five, the Roadrunners came to bat in the top of the eighth scored five runs to capture their first lead of the game at 8-5.
Jordan Martinez started the game for NTCC. Martinez surrendered three runs on five hits over six innings, striking out ten on the day.
Javan Smitherman took the loss for the Eagles. He surrendered three runs on three hits over one inning, striking out one and walking zero.
The Eagles managed to rack up nine hits. Russ, Carrillo, and John Pron all collected multiple hits for the Eagles. Russ went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the NTCC offensive effort.
NTCC traveled Lufkin on Saturday to finish games two and three of the series against the Roadrunners. Angelina downed NTCC 5-0 in game one of the day and defeated the Eagles 12-2 in game two.
Chandler Mauldin was on the hill for NTCC to start game one on Saturday. Mauldin surrendered five runs on nine hits over four and a third innings, striking out five. Garrett Chappell threw one and two-thirds innings out of the bullpen.
Sean Bergeron started for Angelina and went the distance in the seven-inning game. Bergeron keep the Eagles hitters at bay, not allowing any hits and striking out four batters while walking four on the day.
In game two action, NTCC lost 12-2 to the Roadrunners.
Tyler Navarro (University of Central Arkansas) was on the mound for the Eagles. Navarro surrendered five runs on seven hits over two and two-thirds innings, striking out one and walking one.
NTCC kept Angelina off the board in the first, however the Roadrunners scored two runs in the second, three runs in the third, four runs in the fourth and three more runs in the fifth inning to put the Eagles away.
NTCC got on the board in the fifth when Jake Chapman homered to lead off the inning. Jordan Martinez followed that up with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Martinez scored when Jonathan Carrillo hit a triple to left center field. That cut the lead to 9-2, but would not be enough to stay with Angelina.
John Michael Russ, Chapman, and Carrillo provided the offense for the Eagles in game two.
NTCC’s home closer against Navarro was postponed due to wet field conditions and they are slated to play at Navarro this weekend.
