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Tyler Junior College Apache Athletics
Posted: Apr 20, 2012

Lon Morris Outlasts Apaches in Extra Innings

Article Courtesy of Tyler Morning Telegraph
Lon Morris (7-35) rallied in the ninth inning to tie the game and beat Tyler Junior College (27-18) 8-7 in eleven innings Thursday night at Mike Carter Field.

With Apaches closer Blaine Hashagen on the mound in the ninth with TJC leading 7-5, Lon Morris got a walk from Cody Daffron and a single from David Bloodworth, then a 2 RBI double to left from Lucas Ogaz to tie the score at seven and send the game into extra innings.

In the top of the eleventh, Lon Morris took the lead when Warren Stehn singled, then was tripled home by Reyes Jimenez for a 8-7 lead.
Tyler got a baserunner in the bottom of the eleventh on a Trevor Clifton single, but he was stranded to end the game.
Payton Smith got the start for Tyler, going four innings and giving up six hits and three runs, two of them earned. Smith struck out two and walked three. Zack Aitken entered in relief in the ninth inning and took the loss.

For Tyler, Nico Moran went 3-6 with a run scored, Connor Lewis went 2-3 with a pair of runs, and Taylor Drolette went 2-4 with two runs and an RBI. Estevan Hernandez was 2-6 with a run and two RBI.

For Lon Morris, Blake English pitched the last four innings and got the win, striking out three and allowing two hits with no runs.
The Bearcats were led by Stehn, who went 3-6 with two runs and an RBI, and Jimenez who was 3-6 with two RBI.

In the seventh, Lon Morris scored a run on a wild pickoff throw to first to close the gap to 7-5.

The Apaches play next Monday on the road at Texarkana.
Lon Morris struck in the first inning as Smith walked the first two batters he faced, and Lon Morris bunted them into scoring position. Cleanup hitter Warren Stehn drove the first ball he saw into right field for an RBI single and a 1-0 lead. Catcher Trevor Clifton threw out Stehn trying to steal second, and Smith got a groudball out to get out of the inning with a one run deficit.
The Apaches came back in the bottom of the first as Moran hit a high pop that landed behind first base for a single, followed by a walk for Lewis. Drolette drilled an RBI single to left to score Moran and tie the game. Drolette then stole second, and the throw went into center he was pulled from the game. Edwin Moore entered for the Bearcats and got a pop-up to end the inning.field to score Lewis.

Drolette came home on a hit a two out RBI single to right from Tyler Ernest, and Tyler led 3-1. Lon Morris starter Josh Simmons issued a pair of walks to load the bases, and

In the bottom of the third, Tyler started off with a double into the right field corner for Hernandez. After Hernandez was bunted to third, he came in on a balk from pitcher Moore. On the next pitch, Hunter Sutton doubled to the right field wall. Sutton would come in to score on an RBI single from Jacob Soisson, and Tyler would lead 5-1 after three.
Lon Morris scored in the top of the fourth, with two singles to start the inning followed by a walk to load the bases. Joseph Gonzalez and Reyes Jiminez hit RBI singles to make the score 5-3. With the bases still loaded and no one out, Apaches pitcher Payton Smith used a baserunning error and a pair of strikeouts to close out the inning without further damage.