RAY HITS HOME RUN, DRIVES IN 3 ON COLLEGE DIAMOND

The University of Arkansas Rich Mountain coaches likely envisioned seeing a Ray launch home runs and dominate a game on Union Bank Field at McMillan Park.

They got to do that Tuesday as Rylen Ray went 4-for-5 with his second home run, two doubles, and three RBI in a 13-4 win over Cossatot River in a game which was moved to the collegiate field due to the condition of the Eagles’ home field.

Ray, whose brother Randon had committed to play baseball for the Bucks at UARM before switching to football at Harding, was actually retired in a 1-2-3 first inning.

Making his first start, Dax Goff (1-0) matched that in the bottom of the frame.

Before Ray’s attack started the Bearcats opened a 2-0 lead in the second.

After an runner was out at the plate, Cam Osborne doubled home a run and scored on a Jace Washburn single.

Ray started the Bearcat third with a double. Blazen Jones replaced Ray on the bases as a courtesy runner and scored on a Dax Goff double that nicked the third base bag. Dunn Daniel singled to drive in Goff for his first to two RBIs and it was 4-0.

Goff got the first two hitters in the bottom of the inning but hit a batter and allowed an infield single before issuing a walk to load the bases.

The walk came after the hitter was initially called out on a swing and a miss but changed to a 2-2 count. Goff got a strike out to end the inning six pitches later after the hitter was put back at the plate.

Brooks Herrera (2-for-4) singled with one down in the Bearcat fourth and Ray doubled him home. Again running for Ray, Jones scored on an infield single by Peyton Tatum to make it 6-0.

With Goff at 54 pitches in his first start, he was lifted with one down in the home fourth for Tatum.

Tatum started his team leading sixth outing of the year with a strikeout then walked two, one of which scored on a wild pitch, before ending the inning inducing a ball back to the mound.

Tatum struck out two in the fifth and it was still a 6-1 game.

In the Bearcat sixth Herrera and Ray both singled – Herrera’s was a bunt – and Goff lifted a sacrifice fly to score a run. Daniel singled in his second run and it was 8-1.

An error that allowed Matt O’Bar to reach scored two to push it to 10-1.

After Cossatot cut it to 10-3 against Washburn - a two out error kept the inning alive - Ray (shown talking to the reliever) came up again.

He was permitted to score his own run in this at bat because he sent a 1-0 pitch out of the park to score two – Herrera had walked. An O’Bar single plated Tatum, who was hit by a pitch and stole second while Daniel worked a walk.

Herrera worked the final Cossatot inning, which saw the Eagles score a run as darkness was approaching on the field with no lighting.

The win moves the Bearcats to 7-3 and 2-1 in Conference 3A-4 South play.