By GARY STALLARD
AC Athletics
If the strange, orange orb in the sky will continue its presence in the area for at least another day or two, the Angelina College Roadrunner baseball team will host its conference opener against Navarro College on Friday.
The game originally was scheduled for Thursday, but the field wasn’t ready.
After winning eight of their past nine games, the ‘Runners (8-7) were on a steady roll before the rains washed out the past four attempts at playing. However, head coach Jeff Livin and the players were on the practice field on Wednesday, ready to head into league play.
Friday will begin the usual three-game series format found in Region XIV play. Navarro’s Bulldogs will visit for a single, nine-inning game beginning at 3 p.m. The series will wrap up with a Saturday doubleheader in Corsicana.
AC’s last game was a 3-1 win at Alvin College on Feb. 19. Euro Diaz, Dylan Murphy and Sam Haley each drove in a run, and pitchers Lance Lusk, Jacob Mead and Chandler Reece held Dolphin hitters to a single run on just five scattered hits.
Diaz leads the Roadrunners in batting, hitting at a .395 pace with four stolen bases. Murphy, the former Lufkin High School standout, leads AC with 11 RBI in his 11 games played.
Lusk leads AC pitchers with an ERA of 2.25 in 24 innings pitched. The freshman from Spring has struck out 27 batters while walking just five.
Friday’s game starts at 1 p.m. at Roadrunner Field on the Angelina College campus.
The e-mail address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.
