The Arlington Baptist Patriots opened up the Central Regional going 2-1 through the first two days of tournament play.
Their first matchup came against College of the Ozarks in a tight 5-4 loss. Pitcher Corbyn Torti delivered a strong outing with 9 strikeouts. Vince Nandin went 2-for-3 and scored off a double down the infield line by Joseph Galindo. JP Mendoza added 2 RBIs while going 1-for-2 at the plate.
The Patriots bounced back in their second matchup against Mission University. Hector Cavazos led the offensive charge, going 2-for-3 with 2 runs, 4 RBIs, a double, and a first-inning home run that brought in two runs. Galindo finished 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs, a double, and a run scored, while Nathan Duvall scored twice and added a hit. Winning pitcher Ryan Mendiola recorded 6 strikeouts.
In their final matchup of the day, the Patriots defeated Dallas Christian University behind another explosive offensive performance. Cannon Harper went 3-for-5 with 3 runs, 3 RBIs, and 3 doubles. D'Angelo Williams finished a perfect 3-for-3 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs. Duvall added a 3-for-4 performance with 2 RBIs, while Galindo collected 2 hits, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. Kevin Rios crossed home plate 3 times and reached base twice on walks.
The Patriots now look ahead to their 3 p.m. matchup on Friday, May 8 against Ecclesia College.
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