The Temple College Leopards baseball team wrapped up its short three-game home series with a Wednesday afternoon against Wharton County Junior College at the Danny Scott Athletic Complex
Patience was the order of the day for the Leopards as they drew 12 walks in six innings, which included six bases-loaded walks to go with five hits as Temple run-ruled the Pioneers in seven innings, 11-1.
Tobin Eschief got the call on the hill for the Leopards. Braylon Anderson drilled Eschief's first pitch of the game up the middle for a base hit, and advanced to second on a passed ball. Juan Cantua got under a bunt attempt that Sage Sanders caught on the fly and fired a shot to Kade Millar at second to double up Anderson. Eschief scrambled to first to field a grounder hit by Lane Starks to Lance Cantrell to end the inning.
Connor Priddy got the start on the hill for Wharton and immediately found lots of Leopard trouble. Brayden Simmons singled up the middle and took second on a wild pitch. Kade Davis was hit by a pitch, and walks to Andrew Ermis, Cantrell (RBI), Jackson Todd (RBI), and Sanders (RBI) gave the Leopards a 3-0 lead.
Wharton immediately went to the bullpen and brought in David Bell. Ryder Rutledge drove home two runs on a single to deep shortstop. Simmons capped the scoring in the inning on a two-run single to give Temple a 7-0 lead.
Eschief retired the next seven batters in order, which included four straight strikeouts.
The Leopards scored an unearned run in the third inning. Sanders walked, took second on a pickoff error by reliever Aidan Goude, stole third, and scored on Simmons' flyout to center field.
Temple picked up their second double play of the day in the fifth inning. Dakota Howard singled up the middle to start the inning. Aidan Lopez hit a hard grounder to first, which Cantrell fired to Millar covering second, and Millar's return throw to first was fielded by Eschief as he covered the bag for the double play. Jack Kemper grounded to shortstop to end the inning.
The Leopards sent nine to the plate in the bottom of the fifth. Kolvin Davis reached on an error to start the inning, Sanders walked, and Millar's infield bunt single loaded the bases. Rutledge walked to score Kolvin Davis and Kade Davis walked to score Sanders gave Temple a 10-0 lead.
The Pioneers scored a run to break up Eschief's shutout. Mitchell singled and stole second to start the sixth. Starks singled to right-centerfield to score Mitchell with one out in the inning.
TC had another bases-loaded opportunity in the bottom of the sixth. Todd walked to start the inning off reliever Caysen Maxwell. With one out, Sanders walked, with two outs Rutledge was hit by a pitch, and Simmons' walk forced home Todd.
Bralen Veazey came on to close out the game for Eschief. Howard singled to start the inning. Lopez hit a grounder to short in which Millar flipped a throw to Hunter Baros at second, and Baros fired a throw to Cantrell for the picture-perfect double play. Simmons caught Austin Hardy's fly out down the rightfield line in foul territory to seal the win for the Leopards.
Simmons was 2-of-3 in the leadoff spot with four runs batted in to lead the Leopards. Sanders drew four of Temple's 12 walks.
Eschief picked up his first win of the season, as he pitched six innings, allowed one run on five hits, walked one, and struck out six. Veazey gave up one hit in one inning of relief.
Howard had two of Wharton's six hits.
The Leopards will travel to Lufkin on Saturday, as they will play a doubleheader against Angelina College at Poland Field.