The Temple College Leopards traveled to Corsicana on Tuesday for the front end of the home-and-home series with the Navarro College Bulldogs at Perry D. Graham Field.
Temple grabbed two early runs and extended their lead to seven in the middle innings on their way to an 8-2 win over Navarro.
Kade Davis got the start on the hill for Temple, but hand in staking himself to first-pitch double to lead off the game. After a successful sacrifice bunt by Ryder Rutledge, Lance Cantrell walked. A pickoff throw by Navarro starting pitcher Hagen Tijerina was thrown over first baseman Tyler Sessions' head to score Davis and Cantrell advanced to third. Ermis drove home Cantrell to increase Temple's lead to 2-0.
The Bulldogs cut the Leopards' lead in half in the bottom of the first, when Sessions' double scored Brady Englett.
Temple (15-19) loaded bases to start the fourth when Jacob Shallow walked, and Davis and Rutledge singled. Tijerina was lifted for Alex Caddell. On Caddell third pitch to Cantrell, Shallow scored on a wild pitch. During Andrew Ermis' at-bat, Caddell uncorked another wild pitch that scored Davis. Peanut Brazzle walked to reload the bases. A walk to Kash Millar force home Rutledge to give the Leopards a 5-1 advantage.
The Leopards loaded the bases to start the sixth inning as Davis doubled, and Rutledge and Cantrell both walked. Davis scored on a wild pitch, Brazzle's bases-loaded walk scored Rutledge, and Millar's single to center field scored Cantrell to make the score 8-1.
McCann Libby's double in the bottom of the ninth plated Tarris Murray to complete the scoring.
Davis went 3-of-5 at the plate with three runs scored, Millar drove in two runs, and Rutledge and Cantrell each scored twice.
Davis pitched six innings in the win, allowed one run on three hits, struck out four and walked two. Carter Henderson pitched one inning, allowed three walks and struck out one. Gabe Gutierrez closed out the game with two innings pitched, allowed one run on one hit, two walks and one strikeout.
The Bulldogs used five pitchers, allowed eight runs (five earned) on eight hits, walked 10 and struck out four.
Temple and Navarro will complete their series the Danny Scott Sports Complex at 2 pm on Wednesday.