By GARY STALLARD
AC Athletics
Hagan Hartman entered in the ninth inning of a tense, one-run game already filled with plenty of fireworks.
Angelina College’s sophomore pitcher helped douse the fire in a hurry.
With the Roadrunners clinging to a slender, one-run lead, Hartman worked around a one-out error to shut down the Northeast Texas Community College Eagles and preserve AC’s 6-5 win in the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader at Roadrunner Field.
The Eagles took the opener by a 7-3 score, but AC’s win at Mount Pleasant on Thursday, combined with Saturday’s split, gave the ‘Runners the 2-1 series win.
Sam Haley homered twice on Saturday, once in each game. His two-run shot in the first helped AC build a 3-0 lead early. Hayden Baker went 3-for-4 with two RBI, and Nic Garza and Dylan Murphy each drove in a run.
NTCC’s Hunter Thomas blasted a mammoth two-run homer in the top of the eighth to cut the Roadrunner lead to 6-5, but AC pitcher Jarod Sprinkle retired the next Eagle to maintain the lead before giving way to Hartman in the ninth.
AC starting pitcher Sean Bergeron earned the win, striking out six Eagles in six innings while allowing three earned runs. Spivey entered in the seventh and recorded three outs with three pitches. Hartman earned his first save of the season with his work in the ninth.
The Roadrunners (16-13, 5-6) will host TCS Baseball in non-conference action on Monday. The doubleheader, featuring two seven-inning games, will start at 2 p.m. at Roadrunner Field.
The e-mail address for AC’ Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.
