By JOE BUIE
Staff Writer, Tyler Morning Telegraph

The Tyler Junior College baseball team used pitching and defense to sweep Jarvis Christian, 3-2 and 3-1, in a home-opening doubleheader Monday at Mike Carter Field.

The Apaches (2-2) opened the season Sunday in Shreveport, La., with a pair of losses to Bossier Parish, 3-1 and 8-3.

 

TJC swept Jarvis in two seven-inning games despite getting only seven hits. However, the defense turned four double plays in the second game and threw out a runner at home plate in both games.

Center fielder Josh Bates had an assist on the first throw-out. On the second, Bates fielded the ball quickly and threw it in to shortstop Ryan Willnow, who had the assist.

Second baseman Thomas Dougherty started a highlight-reel double play in the fourth inning of Game 2 as he and Willnow combined on all four twin killings.

"(Dougherty) really made some game-changing plays," said first-year TJC head coach Doug Wren. "If we don't turn four double plays, we might be looking at a split. Double plays are something that can really take the breath out of the other team."

On the mound, freshmen Matt Sheppard and Josh Holley turned in quality starts for the Apaches.

Sheppard (1-0), from Humble Atascocita High School, struck out five in five innings and allowed one run on two hits.

Holley, a graduate of Chapel Hill High School, allowed eight hits in five innings but only one run. Jacob Yanker, a freshman from Robert E. Lee, earned the win by working a scoreless final two innings.

The Apaches snapped a 1-1 tie in the nightcap with a pair of runs in the sixth. Designated hitter Josh Salmon (2-for-3) had a leadoff single, and pinch-runner Matt Adams scored on Stevyn Rivera's sacrifice fly. Willnow reached on a walk and scored on a Dougherty single.

Willnow had two of TJC's three hits in the opener.

-- -- --

Game 1

Tyler JC 3, Jarvis 2

Jarvis 000 101 0 -- 2 4 2

Tyler 110 100 x -- 3 3 0

Luis Correa, Sameer Kelley (5) and Jonathan Cartegena. Matt Sheppard, Todd Immel (6), Stephen Greenwood (7) and Stevyn Rivera. W - Sheppard (1-0); L - Correa. 2B -- TJC: Ryan Willnow. SB -- JCC: Anthony Williams 2; TJC: Jeff Pine, Tanner Smith, Josh Salmon. CS -- TJC: Josh Bates. SF -- TJC: Smith, Rivera.

Game 2

Tyler JC 3, Jarvis 1

Jarvis 100 000 0 -- 1 10 3

Tyler 100 002 x -- 3 4 0

Terry Harris, Matthew Kitchens (3), Randy Cortez (6) and Blaine Shackelford. Josh Holley, Jacob Yanker (6) and Conn McWilliams, Rivera (7). W - Yanker (1-0); L - Cortez. 2B -- JCC: Williams, Nick Moss 2, Shaquille Thomas; TJC: Eric Weiss. SB -- TJC: Smith, Thomas Dougherty. S -- TJC: Pine. SF -- TJC: Rivera.

RECORDS

-- Tyler 2-2.

NEXT UP

-- Cedar Valley at Tyler, noon Saturday.

L:ink to Original Article:  http://tylerpaper.com/article/20100202/SPORTS06/2020333