Stephen F. Austin
Texas Southern
'Jacks Strike Early and Claim First Win of 2018 with 9-4 Triumph over Texas Southern
3/6/2018 10:26:00 PM | Baseball
SFA ends 12-game losing streak dating back to last season in first home game of 2018
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Junior outfielder Nick Daley launched a solo home run on the second pitch the Stephen F. Austin baseball team saw and the 'Jacks added five more runs in the second inning to give them more than enough offense to back a solid start by junior right-hander Austin Hearn in a 9-4 victory over Texas Southern at Jaycees Field Tuesday night.
Expected to have played four home games before tonight's true home opener, the 'Jacks found themselves on the road for their first 10 games - all losses - before returning to their home confines and settling down early to break that early losing skid.
"You don't expect to watch a guy hit a leadoff home run, but what Daley did tonight allowed us to play with so much more ease and freedom than we have been so far this season," commented SFA head coach Johnny Cardenas after the 'Jacks' win. "You could tell [Austin] Hearn was a little nervous at first but with that hit it allowed him to settle in and start making the right pitches. When you don't come out and feel tight and like every pitch is a game-changer, your mentality changes and that trickled down to the rest of our team as well."
Daley began backing Hearn's effort on the mound extremely early as SFA's center fielder hammered a mammoth homer to straightaway center, staking the hosts to a 1-0 after one.
Texas Southern battled back in the second and tied things up at one by using a one-out RBI single from Ricky Urbano, but Daley delivered again - this time in the field - to prevent any further damage by the Tigers. SFA's center fielder ate up a single to center and fired a pinpoint strike to Jarrod Huber at home to cut down Urbano at the plate and end the frame.
From there, the 'Jacks' offense went to work again in the home portion of the second. Josh Evans scored from third on a bases-loaded passed ball before Jarrod Huber and Jared Martin each punched two-run singles into the outfield that capped a five-run frame and upped the hosts' lead to 6-1.
Texas Southern, which was in search of its third win over a Southland Conference foe this season, hit the comeback trail in the fifth when Christian Sanchez launched a solo homer to left off of Hearn.
After SFA's starter exited after five, Texas Southern sliced further into the 'Jacks' lead in the seventh. Horace LeBlanc punched a bases-loaded RBI single to left off of SFA relief arm Josh Ponder before a bases-loaded wild pitch issued by Jesus Gamez - the 'Jacks' third arm of the seventh inning - helped the visitors cut the 'Jacks' lead to 6-4.
Gamez responded well, however, striking out Kamren Dukes with the bases loaded to end the frame and put an end to the only big threat the visitors posed.
Manny Vasquez launched a two-out RBI double to the gap in right center and in the ninth Eric DeJesus pulled a two-run single to left. Those three runs helped the 'Jacks get back what they had given up to the Tigers in the fifth and seventh innings.
Hearn's first collegiate start resulted in the junior's first win of the season, too. The Crosby, Texas, product went five innings and gave up two runs on five hits and four walks while striking out four. Jordan Powell, Trayson Kubo and Tyler Starks each threw a scoreless inning for the 'Jacks who used seven pitchers on the night.
In the midst of a seven-game home stand, SFA returns to Jaycees Field Friday night at 6:30 p.m. to begin a three-game non-conference set with Louisiana-Monroe.
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