FORT WORTH, Texas - Matt Putman homered twice, added a two-run single, and scored four times to help the Rams sweep a doubleheader against Howard Payne University on Tuesday afternoon. Wesleyan, who lost to the Yellow Jackets 22-8 on March 11 in Brownwood, avenged the loss with wins of 5-2 and 8-7.

Game 1: Wesleyan scored single runs in each of the first five innings to cruise past Howard Payne in the opener. Ram starter Cal Cline allowed one run on three hits in 2.2 innings of work, walking three and striking out one. Shea Harrison, who relieved Cline in the third, pitched a 1-2-3 fourth inning, and then was replaced by Bryant Wilson. Wilson pitched a perfect fifth, then surrendered a run on two hits in the sixth, but managed to get the last two outs with a runner on third to keep the Rams comfortably in front. Seth Manning pitched a perfect seventh, including two strikeouts, for the save.

The Rams got on the board quickly. Nathan Murrell led off the first with a bloop double, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Aaron Ellis’ sacrifice fly.

In the second, with two down, Matt Putman blasted the first pitch he saw halfway up the bleachers in right-center field to put the Rams up by two.

In the third, Anthony Bolivar led off with a single, stole second, and scored on Travis Clifford’s two-out double.

In the fourth, Derek Armstrong singled and Putman walked to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Eric Vaughn attempted to bunt the runners over, but his sacrifice attempt rolled right back to the pitcher who had an easy play to get Armstrong at third. A wild pitch allowed Putman and Vaughn to move up into scoring position, and Putman eventually scored on a passed ball.

In the fifth, Jeremy Craft led off with a walk, moved to second on a passed ball, and scored when Cole Henry’s soft liner over short was misplayed for an error.

HPU scored their runs in the third and sixth innings. Back-to back singles and a walk leading off the third loaded the bases with no outs. After an infield pop-up, Javier San Miguel poked a sacrifice fly to right, allowing Cole Ramsey to come home. In the fifth, San Miguel led off with a single and scored on Craig Simpson’s triple.

Game 2: Surrendering an early 3-1 lead, the Rams came back with a huge fifth inning, then held on in a nail-biting seventh to win the game 8-7 and sweep the doubleheader.

Howard Payne got on the board first, scoring a run in their first at-bat on a pair of doubles by Lee Morrison and Craig Simpson.

Wesleyan countered in the bottom of the frame with three runs to take the lead. Anthony Bolivar singled with one out to start the rally, and moved to third on Andy Hughes’ double. After a strikeout, Trey Combs walked to load the bases, and Matt Putman lined a single up the middle to bring home two runs. Eric Casias was hit by a pitch to load the bases again, bringing Nathan Murrell to the plate. He hit a tapper back to the mound, but the Yellow Jackets’ pitcher made a poor throw, pulling the first baseman off the bag. Murrell, hustling all the way, was called safe, and Mike Greene, courtesy-running for Combs, scored.

Howard Payne came right back to take the lead, though, with four runs in the second. A leadoff walk, combined with five consecutive one-out singles, did all the damage before Craig Simpson grounded into an inning-ending 5-3 double play.

Wesleyan chipped away at the lead with one run in the third. Leading off the inning, Putman crushed a belt-high fastball over the 20-foot tall fence in straightaway centerfield to cut the deficit to 5-4.

Two innings later, the Rams took the lead for good. Combs and Putman walked leading off the inning, and moved into scoring position on Casias’ perfectly-placed bunt single. Murrell followed with a sacrifice fly to right, and Aaron Ellis blistered a double to the gap in right center to plate two more runs. Billy Eaton then drove Ellis in with a single up the middle to put the Rams up 8-5.

There was still some drama left, however. Leading of the sixth, HPU third-baseman Joseph Turner was hit by Ram pitcher Bryant Wilson, and eventually scored on Lee Morrison’s third hit of the game, cutting the lead to two.

In the top of the seventh, Casias took the mound for Wesleyan, and Craig Simpson greeted him with his second two-bagger of the game. After a walk, Simpson stole third and scored when Bubba Jackson grounded into a fielder’s choice for the first out. Casias then struck out the next batter, and had two strikes on what would have been the final out, but eventually walked him. With the tying run on second, Joseph Turner ripped a single to left, and the HPU coach waved the runner around third. The ball was hit too sharply, though, and Ram left-fielder Cole Henry scooped it up with plenty of time to nail the runner at the plate. His throw, right on line, took one hop and beat the runner by ten feet for the final out of the game.

The Rams now stand at 25-18-1 on the season, and remain 9-9 in Red River Conference play. They return to action on April 11, the first of a three-game series against RRAC foe Wiley College. Friday’s game begins at 2 PM and Saturday’s doubleheader starts at 1 PM.