FORT WORTH, Texas - Under the Friday night lights at LaGrave Field, Texas Wesleyan jumped on HBU pitching for seven runs through four innings and cruised to a 9-5 victory in front of the largest home crowd of the season. Matt Putman added to his team-leading home run total with a third inning blast, and Andy Hughes pitched solid through seven innings as the Rams improved to 32-18-1 (15-9 Red River Conference) on the season.

After a scoreless top of the first, Wesleyan took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Billy Eaton and Anthony Bolivar hit carbon copy singles up the middle to start the inning, and after a nice sacrifice bunt by Putman, Jeremy Craft laced a double to the wall in left to bring home both runners.

The Rams added another run in the third on Putman’s seventh homer of the season, a crushed fastball that landed halfway up the hill beyond the left-field fence. HBU scored once in the top of the fourth on a pair of singles sandwiched around an error, but Wesleyan put the game away in the bottom of the frame. Aaron Ellis led off with a double just inside the third base line, then moved to third as Travis Clifford grounded out to second base. He would score three pitches later on a slider that bounded all the way to the backstop. Cole Henry walked and Derek Armstrong singled to start the rally again, and Nathan Murrell singled home a run to put the Rams up 5-1.

With two on and one out, Eaton followed with a soft ground ball to the right side. The Huskies’ first baseman fielded the ball cleanly, looked around for a play on one of the base runners, then decided to toss to the pitcher covering first. His underhanded flip sailed five feet too high, allowing Henry to score. Armstrong went to third and Eaton wound up at second. On the next pitch, Anthony Bolivar hit a smash up the middle that deflected off the pitcher’s glove right to the second baseman. The throw was in time to get Bolivar, but Armstrong scored on the play, putting the Rams in front 7-1.

The Huskies added a run in the sixth on Tommy Crosby’s homer to left, but Wesleyan countered immediately to restore the six-run lead. With two down in the bottom of the sixth, Bolivar singled home Murrell to bring he score to 8-2.

An inning later, Wesleyan added their ninth and final run of the game. Craft led off with an infield single, then stole second on a busted hit-and-run. Ellis and Clifford flied out, but Henry drew a walk and Armstrong came through with another infield hit to score Craft.

In the eight, the HBU offense came to life, briefly. With one out, Crosby doubled to right-center. Kyle Smith followed with a single to center, moving to second when Murrell’s throw back in got past everyone. Gerald Bueno singled up the middle for a pair of runs, prompting Rams’ coach Mike Jeffcoat to make a change on the mound. Reliever Bryant Wilson entered the game and gave up one run on a pair of singles before striking out the final two batters of the inning.

Wilson remained on the mound in the ninth, retiring the side in order to close out the game.

Hughes went 7.3 to get the win, allowing five runs on nine hits. He struck out seven and walked one. Craft paced the offense for Wesleyan, going 3-5 with a double, 1 run, 2 RBI, and a stolen base. Bolivar went 2-5, scoring 1 run and knocking in 2.

The Rams improve to 32-18-1 (15-9 Red River Conference) on the season, while Houston Baptist falls to 25-18 (14-8 RRC). The teams meet again Saturday at LaGrave Field for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1 PM.

Pitchers: TW - Hughes, Wilson (8) HBU - Kantz, Ferguson (4), Cannon (8) Catchers: TW - Putman HBU - Davis 2B: TW - Craft, Ellis HBU - Bowser, Smith, Crosby 3B: none HR: TW - Putman HBU - Crosby RBI: TW - Craft 2, Bolivar 2, Putman, Murrell, Armstrong HBU - Bueno 3, Ahrens, Crosby Win: Hughes Loss: Ferguson Save: Wilson Attendance: 150 Time: 2:58 Umpires: unknown

Records: TW: 32-18-1 (15-9 in Red River Conference) HBU: 25-18 (14-8 in Red River Conference)