Photo caption:†Zach Costa makes a diving play on a fly ball to left for the Eagles.
The NTCC Eagles baseball team sits one game behind defending national champion Navarro College in the Region XIV Eastern Conference standing after going 5-1 last week.
The Eagles currently stand 17-8 on the season and 11-5 in conference play after sweeping Central Lakes College and Texarkana College and splitting a double header with Bossier Parish last week.
It was all Eagles on Mar. 12 as NTCC pounded visiting Central Lakes College in a non-conference double header, 6-0 and 13-0.†The Eagles did most of their damage in the first inning of game one, scoring four runs to grab an early lead.†Richard Bain added to the Eagle lead in the bottom of the fourth as he launched a pitcher over the wall in left field for his second home run of the season.†The Eagles added one more run in the bottom of the fifth as NTCC picked up the shut out win.†Eagle pitchers Cade Andrus and Luke Wyatt combined to allow just one hit in the victory as Andrus earned the win.†The Eagles needed just nine hits to score 13 runs in the second game against Central Lakes while NTCC?s pitching staff again threw a shutout.
Cutter Schaney led the Eagle offense in the win, going 2-2 at the plate with three RBI while Chris Burdette was 1-3 with two RBI.†Justin Schnedler picked up the win on the hill for the Eagles, giving up just one hit while striking out eight and walking six in four innings of action.†A pair of late-game home runs helped the Eagles earn a win in the first game of a double header at Bossier Parish Wednesday as NTCC picked up a 5-1 victory.
The Eagles led 2-1 heading into the seventh inning, where Telvin Darden added a solo home run and Angus Roeger later homered to bring in Bain, who had reached base on a single.
Jordan Marah picked up the win for the Eagles, giving up one run on one hit while Striking out six and walking two in five innings of work. Mitchell Davis earned the save as he held the Cavaliers scoreless in the final two innings.
The Eagles saw one slip away in the second game against Bossier Parish as NTCC entered the ninth inning with a 7-3 lead only to see the Cavaliers score five in the final inning.
Bain led the Eagles with three hits and three RBI in the loss while Roeger was 2-4 and Zach Costa was 2-5.†Connor Cashion started the game for the Eagles and got a no-decision after giving up three runs on five hits in five innings of action.†Carlos Rodriguez suffered the loss, giving up five runs on three hits and three walks in the ninth inning.
The Eagles bounced back with a pair of wins Saturday as they went on the road to sweep Texarkana.
Doubles by Eric Hughes and Matt Durst helped lead the Eagles to a 4-1 victory in the first game at Texarkana. Durst finished the game 2-3 with an RBI while Luis Sanchez also added two hits and two stolen bases in the win.
Texarkana led 1-0 in the fourth inning but the Eagles put up two runs in the inning to take the lead. Wesley Hoover got things started with a one-out single and Shane Segovia followed with another single to put runners at first and second. A single to center by Durst brought in Hoover and Hughes brought in a Segovia with a double to right to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.
NTCC added two more runs in the sixth inning as Durst picked up a one-out double and scored on a single by Bain.†Bain later stole second, stole third and scored as the throw to third sailed into left field.
Tanner Allgood got the win for the Eagles, giving up one run on six hits in four innings of work. Davis picked up the save, giving up just three hits while striking out one and walking one in three innings on the mound.
The Eagles used a late-game comeback to pick up a win in the second game at Texarkana Saturday, erasing a 7-0 deficit to earn a 9-7 victory.
Durst again led the offense as he finished 3-4 with two doubles and two RBI. Darden also added two hits (including a triple) and a pair of RBI.
The Eagles trailed 7-0 in the sixth inning before Costa started a rally with a one-out walk. A double to left by Segovia brought in Costa and another double to left by Durst scored Segovia to cut the lead to 7-2. Burdette kept the rally going with another double to left as Dust scored before Bain and Hughes drew walks to load the bases. Burdette scored on a ground ball to short by Dauris Holguin and Darden singled to right to bring in Bain as the Eagles cut the Texarkana lead to 7-5.
The Eagles tacked on one more run in the eighth inning as Holguin singled to left and later scored on a triple to right by Darden.
The Eagles continued to trail 7-6 heading into the ninth inning, where Segovia reached base leading off the inning after the catcher dropped the third strike. Segovia advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw and then scored to tie the game on a double to left by Durst. Hoover followed with single to left and Bain was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Eagles.
Billy Gonzales followed with a single to center that brought in Durst to give the Eagles their first lead of the game, 8-7. Bain later scored on a wild pitch to put the Eagles up 9-7.
Texarkana used three walks to load the bases in the bottom of the inning but the Eagles escaped with the win as the final hitter bounced into a fielder?s choice at second to end the game.
Wyatt picked up the victory for NTCC, giving up no runs and one hit while walking one and striking out two in two and two-thirds innings of work. Rodriguez earned the save as he picked up the final two outs for the Eagles in the ninth.
The Eagles are scheduled to be back in action Thursday as they host Panola for a double header starting at 3 p.m.
