Eagles split opening doubleheader in Kansas

WICHITA, Kansas — A&M-Texarkana started the 2023 baseball season with a come-from-behind win, and almost did it again in the second game of a Friday doubleheader against Friends University.

GAME ONE

The Eagles (1-1) trailed 5-4 heading into the sixth inning of the opening game but rallied to score four in the sixth and added another in the seventh to take a 9-5 win. Masashi Takegama (JR/Santo Domingo, DR) slapped a two-run single in the sixth, and Hunter Reid (JR/Plano, TX) followed with a two-run homer to left field. Kyle McMullen (SO/Dixon, CA) drove in a pair and Pudge Carlisle (SO/Liberty Hill, TX) drove in an insurance run in the seventh.

Michael Passariello (JR/Paradise, TX) tossed six innings to earn the win, striking out two and surrendering four earned runs. Mason Cirkel (FR/Rusk, TX) pitched the seventh in relief. The Eagles took advantage of four errors by the Falcons.

GAME TWO

In the second game, the Eagles fell into a five-run hole in the first frame, then trailed 6-0 entering the final inning. A&M-Texarkana mounted a last-inning rally thanks to a two-run double from Eric Spencer (SR/Gerber, CA), an RBI double from Dylan Simmons (JR/Tomball, TX) and run-scoring singles by Giancarlo Mijares (JR/Hercules, CA) and Shraedon Naeole-Starkey (SO/Molokai, HI). The rally fell one run short with the Eagles striking out with runners on first and second.

Oscar Sanchez (SR/Celina, TX) took the loss on the mound, giving up five earned runs in two innings. Frankie Watson (FR/Montgomery, TX) tossed 3.2 strong innings of relief, striking out four with one run allowed.

The Eagles are in action again Saturday for another doubleheader against Friends, starting at noon.