TALLADEGA, Ala. – The Talladega College baseball team picked up a 9-5 conference win against Wiley College this afternoon at home to take the rubber game of the series. The Tornadoes won the series 2-1 to earn their 23
rd victory of the season. Talladega is now 23-15- and 11-3 in the GCAC while the Wildcats are now 19-16 and 13-2 in conference play.
Wiley took an early 1-0 lead after the first inning, but the lead didn't last long as Talladega pushed two runs across on a double, a triple, and a hit by pitch to take a 2-1 lead.
The Tornadoes broke the game open in the bottom of the third when it plated five runs. It all started when
Miguel Oropeza hit a ground-rule double to leadoff. He later moved to third when
Nomar Garcia singled through the left side. Garcia later stole second to put both runners into scoring position.
Isaac Guzman's two-run single through the right side scored both runners to push the lead to 4-1 with no outs. He later stole second but was able to score off a throwing error by the Wiley catcher that sent
Jeriel Lamboy to second following a drop third strike.
Allen Morel kept the inning going as he was plunked. Both Lamboy and Morel scored to make it 7-1 on
Eddie Velazquez's double to the right-center field gap before the inning ended.
The Wildcats added a pair of runs in the fifth and a run in the sixth to cut the lead to three.
Talladega was able to get two of the three runs back in the bottom of the seventh to make it a 9-4 game, but the Wildcats threatened in the eighth as they parked a home run over the center field wall.
The Tornadoes' bullpen shut down the Wildcats in the ninth allowing just a single, a flyout, a line out, and a pop-out to end the game.
Starting pitcher
Samuel Guadamuz threw five innings allowing seven hits and three runs (all earned) while striking out seven. He is now 7-1 on the season.
Reliever
Helson Fernandez earned his second save of the season while striking out four in four innings of work.
Talladega as a team tallied five extra-base hits in the form of four doubles and a triple. With Oropeza registering two of the four doubles himself.
Oropeza, Garcia, and Guzman combined going 6-for-13 with two RBIs, three runs scored, two doubles, and two stolen bases.
Talladega is on the road on Tuesday, April 9 at 2 p.m. when it travels to the University of Tennessee Southern.
