By: Justin Hargrove, Assistant Athletic Director
Northeast Texas Community College Baseball kicked off the 2022 spring season with a double header against Grayson College on the NTCC Campus on Monday. NTCC and Grayson would split the series with the Eagles taking game one 5-3 and Grayson winning the second game 9-2.
In game one, Grayson would take a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning after a lead off single, followed up by another single, double and one last single to plate two runs and take a lead.
The lead for Grayson would be short lived as NTCC go things going in the third inning, scoring five runs to go ahead 5-2. Bryce Johnson (McKinney HS) would reach second base on a two base error. Johnson, would moved to third base on a Connor Chavez (Dallas Jesuit HS) single to left. Grayson would manage to get two outs but Nico Baumbach (Euless Trinity HS) would make them pay with a three run homerun to right field. Cameron Loy (Mansfield HS) would be hit by the pitch in the next at bat. Seth Cox (McKinney HS) would make Grayson pay, hitting a two run homerun to Left/Center field to bring the lead to 5-2 for NTCC.
Grayson would scratch out one more run in the fourth inning with a solo homerun to bring the score to 5-3.
Austin Burda (Nolan Catholic HS) would get the start for the Eagles and go two innings giving up four hits and striking out three batters before giving way to his bullpen. Spence Mats (Atascocita HS) would pitch two innings adding another three strikeouts and pick up the win for NTCC. Griffin Binkley (Mansfield Legacy HS) and Camden Sargent (Brazosport Christian HS) would also see action in game one. The Eagle pitchers combined to give up just five hits and struck out nine while walking 8 batters in the seven inning contest.
In game two, NTCC would get on the board first in the bottom of the first inning when Hank Warren (Lufkin Hudson HS) would score after reaching base on a fielder’s choice. Warren scored on a Cameron Loy single to go up 1-0.
Grayson College got on the scoreboard in the third inning following a costly walk and error by NTCC. The Eagles answered back in the bottom half of the third and tied the game at 2-2. Warren would lead off with a single and later score his second run of the game when Loy again singled to center field to drive in the run. Unfortunately for NTCC this was the last of the offensive output they would see in game two.
Grayson would add two runs in the fourth, four runs in the sixth, and one final run in the seventh to win 9-2. Chase Richter (Cypress Woods HS) would get the start in game two and then give way to the bullpen after two innings of work. George Austin (Dallas Jesuit HS), Logan Asay (Frisco Wakeland HS), Brock Shoffner (Bridgeland HS), Aidan Griggsby (Alvin Shadowcreek HS) and James Laird (Hebron HS) all pitched in game two. They combined to strikeout six, while walking four.
NTCC will be back in action on Friday and Saturday, February 18 & 19 vs Cowley Community College from Kansas. Friday will be a double header starting at 1:00pm and Saturday will be a single game starting at 12:00pm.
Keep up to date with NTCC sports by going to www.ntcceagles.com.