By:Patrick Hall Monday, 5 March, 2007

The Beaver Baseball team got into the win column this weekend winning three of four games in the Northeast Texas Invitational Tournament in Mount Pleasant, Texas. Their record now stands at 3-5 on the season.

The tournament was capped off on Sunday morning with a nice 6-2 win against Panola Junior College out of Carthage, Texas. The game was highlighted by freshman Casey Lippoldt’s dominant pitching performance. Lippoldt (1-1) was lifted after a lead-off double in the top of the ninth, leaving with a 6-0 lead, facing one batter over the minimum as two of the hits were erased on double plays. Lippoldt allowed only four hits while striking out four and walking none.

Second baseman Alex Denning finished 2 for 4 on the day with two doubles and two RBI. Colby O’Donnell added two hits and catcher Aaron Vath added an RBI double.

On Saturday, the Beavers held on in the first game for an 11-10 victory over Murray State from Tishimingo, Oklahoma, after sprinting out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning. MSC pulled to within 5-4 after the second inning, but the Beavers scored single runs in the fourth and fifth to stretch their lead to 7-4.

MSC then scored four runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead, chasing starter Chris Brown from the game. The Beavers answered with a four spot of their own in the top of the seventh that capped the scoring for the Beavers, who regained the lead that they would not relinquish. Highlighting the rally was a two-out two-run single by Aaron Vath that scored Juan Garza and Chad Taylor.

Marco Quevedo relieved Ali Salazar, who earned the win (1-0) in the eighth inning with one out and the tying run on base; however, Quevedo induced a double play to get out of the eighth and returned to the mound to pitch a perfect ninth for the save, his second in two days.

Joe Augustyn lead the Beaver thirteen hit offensive attack with three singles, two runs scored and an RBI. Denning added a double, Nick Shoptaw had a two-run single and a double, Juan Garza was 1 for 2 with a stolen base and Chad Taylor had two hits and two RBI. All four of these Beavers also came around to score twice.

In the nightcap, the Beavers were handled by the second-ranked team in the country, Grayson County Community College, 13-0. Austin Pfannenstiel (0-1) took the loss in the game. Denning, Matt Lowry, Vath and Kyle Denton picked up the only four hits of the game for the Beavers, all singles.

Pratt opened the tournament holding on for a 4-2 win over McClennan Community College on Friday. The Beavers relied on a four run fourth inning for their offense, giving up single runs in the seventh and eighth.

That fourth inning rally was started by consecutive singles by Denning and Augustyn. After a sacrifice bunt by Matt Presson, Garza delivered with an RBI single. Following a strikeout, Lowry singled to leftfield to score Augustyn and Garza. Lowry capped the scoring when he scored on a passed ball.

Joel Lockhart battled through five plus tough innings. Though he didn’t have his best stuff, Lockhart (1-1) didn’t allow a run, allowing seven hits and walking three to earn the win. Quevedo came on to pitch the last out of the eighth and the ninth for his first save of the season.

Pratt will be back in action this Saturday when they open conference play with a doubleheader at Colby Community College.