The Temple College Leopards looked to gain a non-conference sweep over Navarro College they hosted the Bulldogs to complete the three-game set on a wet, Wednesday afternoon at the Danny Scott Sports Complex.
The Leopards overcame a one-run deficit in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI walk to Kade Davis and broke the tie on Peanut Brazzle's single that scored Trae Allen in the bottom of the ninth to give Temple a 6-5 victory.
Patrick Collopy started the game on the hill for TC and retired the first seven batters he faced before Ryan Alexander's single in the bottom of the third. The single snapped a string of 27 straight batters faced. Collopy retired the final two Vernon College batters he faced on March 19 and retired 18 straight in his six-inning perfect game against NCTC on March 26.
Navarro had a prime opportunity in the top of the fourth inning with runners on first and second with one out. A fielder's choice and strikeout put down the Bulldogs' threat.
The Leopards broke into the run column in the fourth. With two outs, Kadyn Martinez blasted a shot down the right field line into the corner. Martinez raced to third for a triple. On the next pitch from reliever Degan Kubat, Jackson Todd was hit on the knee. Todd stole second base before Hunter Baros' infield single gave the Leopards a 1-0 lead.
Temple increased their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Baros' line drive to left field dropped in for a single to score Martinez and Brazzle. Baros scored on a wild pitch with two outs to increase the Leopards advantage to 4-0.
A two-run home in the top of the seventh by McCann Libby got the Bulldogs on the boards against TC reliever Eric Tenery. Hank Harp's bases-loaded walk against Tenery pulled Navarro to within a run, and Brady Englett's two-run single off reliever Bralen Veazey to give the Bulldogs a 5-4 lead.
Navarro reliever Adrian Najar issued a two-out, bases-loaded walk to Davis to score Martinez to make the score 5-5.
Allen walked to start the bottom of the ninth, and attempted to steal second when Andrew Ermis hit a ground ball that was fielded by Brock DeYoung. Allen slid into second to force DeYoung to take the out at first. A 2-2 fast ball, Brazzle hit a line drive into the right-centerfield gap for a single. Allen raced around from second for the winning run.
Brazzle, Martinez and Baros all had two hits in Temple's 11-hit attack. Baros had three RBI to lead the Leopards.
Collopy pitched four innings, allowed one hit, one walk, and struck out four. Tenery pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief, allowed five runs (two earned) on three hits, walked two and struck out two. Veazey pitched 2 1/3 innings for the win in relief, allowed one hit and struck out two.
Ryan Alexander led Navarro with two hits, with Englett and Libby each driving in two runs.
The Bulldogs sent five pitchers to the mound, allowed five runs on 11 hits, struck out six, walked three, and hit two batters.
Temple will return to Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference action at Cisco College on April 9.