“It was ugly,” Temple coach Craig McMurtry said after his team fell to 7-3. “It was a lack of defense and just not making plays. We started strong and things were easy, and now we’re going through a rough spot. Now we’ll see how we respond and find out what we’re made of.”
TC jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead in Friday’s opener and regained the lead at 3-2 in the fifth. But errors and balks - Leopard pitchers were called for four - contributed as the Chaparrals scored three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth to go up 7-3.
Temple battled back in the seventh, scoring four runs to force extra innings as Michael De La Rosa, Ryan Meade, Darren Crabtree and Payton Wisener drove in a run apiece.
But errors caught up with the Leopards in the eighth. A fielding error and a throwing error helped Midland load the bases, then second baseman Zach Cohen fielded a ground ball but threw low to home plate for TC’s fifth error, letting the winning run score.
In the finale, Temple starter Brian Shorkey issued six walks in 2 1/3 innings as Midland took a 3-0 lead. The Leopards had a shot to get out of the fourth trailing 4-0, but a two-out throwing error let in two runs to make it 6-0.
TC’s Travis Trial hit a three-run home run in the fifth to make it 6-3, but two Leopards were stranded in scoring position in the sixth.
Temple and Midland will begin another doubleheader at noon today.
Crusaders win in extra innings
ABILENE - The Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders tied Methodist College at 7 in the top of the ninth inning and won 8-7 in 13 innings on Friday.
Joseph Villegas scored the tying run in the ninth. He singled, stole second base and scored on a single by R.B. Garza.
Ryan Swindell led off the 13th with a walk and scored on a throwing error.
Sam VanHoozer (Salado) picked up his first win, allowing three hits in the final two innings in relief of Garza.
UMHB (3-3) will host Trinity at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
