PHELPS PITCHES RAMS TO WIN
April 12, 2006

FORT WORTH, TX:  The Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (18-17) took a 4-1 win over Howard Payne University (16-17) at LaGrave Field on Wednesday.  The Rams racked up 13 hits to bring their total over the last four games to an even sixty.

After an RBI single from Doug Wren in the top of the first, Texas Wesleyan used an RBI double from Travis Clifford and a sacrifice fly from Billie Hicks to take a 2-1 lead after one inning.

In the second, the Rams loaded the bases with nobody out, but Howard Payne hurler Jimmy May got out of the jam with just one run scored.

Meanwhile, Texas Wesleyan starter J.R. Phelps set down 14 consecutive Yellow Jackets after allowing Wren’s single in the first.

Howard Payne threatened in the eighth when they put runners on second and third with just one out, but Hayden Lackey entered the game and recorded consecutive strikeouts to end the rally with no damage done.

In the bottom of the frame, Jason Diaz legged out a double into right center, advanced to third on a Zach Archer single and scored when Archer attempted to steal second and drew a throw.

Phelps (1-0) earned his first win at Wesleyan by tossing five innings and allowing just two first inning singles that led to one run.  May was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits in three innings of work.

Zach Archer took the team lead in batting average after a 4-4 performance raised his mark to .396 on the season.  Jason Diaz, Travis Clifford, and Antoine Cole each recorded a pair of hits for the Rams.

Texas Wesleyan will return to action on Friday when they host Southwestern Assemblies of God University in a Red River Athletic Conference game.  The first pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.