The Temple College baseball team traveled to Denison on Wednesday to start their four-game NTJCAC series against Grayson College.
Temple received offense early in games, but Grayson responded with rallies that lifted the Vikings past the Leopards.
Scores of the doubleheader were 12-2 (six innings) and 9-7 (11 innings).
Lance Cantrell's two-run homer in the top of the fourth put the Leopards on the board, having cut their margin to two runs, 4-2.
The Vikings answered with one run in the bottom of the inning and posted seven runs in the bottom of the sixth to clinch the run-rule win.
Patrick Collopy pitched four innings, allowed five runs (one earned) on five hits, struck out six and walked one. Gavin Oliver pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief, having allowed seven runs on four hits and walked three. Gabe Gutierrez allowed a hit and walk to the two batters he faced.
In game two, Temple grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first, which was answered by a Vikings run in the bottom of the inning.
The Leopards scored two runs in the third inning and four runs in the fourth to build a 7-1 advantage.
Grayson scored once in the fifth and sixth innings, three times in the seventh, and a run in the ninth to force extra innings. The Vikings' two-run homer in the 11th clinched the doubleheader win for Grayson.
Brayden Simmons, Kadyn Martinez, and Kash Millar each had two hits to lead Temple. Simmons, Millar, and Sage Sanders each scored two runs.
Eric Tenery started on the hill for the Leopards, as he allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits, struck out four, walked two, and hit a batter. Bralen Veazey pitched 2/3 inning of relief, allowed three runs on two hits, and walked one. Micah Melott took the loss in relief having pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowed three runs on five hits, struck out five and walked four.
Temple and Grayson will conclude their series on Friday at the Danny Scott Sports Complex with a doubleheader starting at noon.