PHOENIX, AZ. - Panhandle State baseball (1-3) would drop their final game of the Coach Calderone Invitational to the Eastern Oregon University Mountaineers (2-1) with a final score of 12-16. The Aggies once again found success at the plate as they collected thirteen hits.  However, too many errors and balls left over the plate that led to extra-base hits for the Mountaineers stopped the Aggies from maintaining their lead. 

Despite the finish to their first few games of the 2022 season Head Coach Shawn Joy says he's excited to see the rest of the season play out. Commenting "the guys played hard today and all week. We didn't pitch it well enough today but the guys showed a lot of fight."

Freshman Tate Nebhut (0-0) would make his second appearance of the season, and first start, after coming in as relief against Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.) earlier this week. Nebhut would only see three and a third innings of work as the Mountaineers began to improve their approach at the plate. He would not factor in the decision.

Nebhut would rely on the bullpen to help the Aggies get back into the game. Corbin Bailey, Josiah Roundtree, Corbin Yandell, and Braeden Lejarraga would come out of the bullpen for the Aggies. Combining for four and third innings pitched. Managing only five strikeouts between the four pitchers. What hurt the Aggies was the mistakes on the mound and in the field. As they totaled five balks and three errors in the game. 

The Aggie offense remained effective against the Mountaineers despite the defensive woes. Highlighted by a 3 for 5 performance from senior third baseman Lane Field. Field would total two runs and two RBIs with two doubles. After a rough start to the invitational Field pulled himself up to try and lead the Aggies to their second win of the season.

Luis Dermas and Sam Bond also played a significant role in the offense. Bond would notch a sacrifice fly to move the runner to third which Dermas would score on a single moments later to get the Aggies on the board. Both upperclassmen look to solidify their place in the lineup before the Aggies hit their conference slate. 

In the early innings of the game, the Aggies were able to take advantage of walks, hit-by-pitches,  and errors to not only scratch runs across but also to widen their lead against the Mountaineers. Totaling five walks, three hit batters, and four reach-on-errors in the contest. These positive situations for the Aggies were simultaneously negated by poor defense and pitching. Errors and walks allowed the Mountaineers to capitalize with their numerous extra-base hits. Allowing the Mountaineers to put up six runs in the bottom of the third.

Despite a significant blow to the score and Aggie lead the Aggie hitters were not content in letting the Mountaineers take the game over. As they would come back with back-to-back innings of crooked number scores. All started by a single to left field off the bat of senior Jonathan Applebury. Igniting the Aggie bats as they go on to score seven runs in two innings. However, this would be the last time the Aggies would be able to cross home plate as the Mountaineers would answer with seven runs of their own to win the game 12-16. 

The Aggies look to redeem themselves as they head to Amarillo, Texas for a four-game series against Adams State University starting Saturday, February 5th. A series to celebrate Oklahoma Panhandle State Alumni as the Aggies play at Hodgetown, home to the Amarillo Sod Poodles.