BASEBALL SWEEPS NELSON, HEADS HOME 3-1

WAXAHACHIE, Texas – All-around performances at the plate and on the mound helped Avila baseball earn a pair of wins on Saturday over Nelson, 6-3 and 6-4. After splitting the doubleheader on Friday, Avila returns to Kansas City 3-1 on the young season and handed Nelson its first three losses of the season.

In the opening game, Avila jumped on the Nelson pitching staff early. After JJ Dain opened the game by drawing a HBP, Caden Stillwell brought him around to score three batters later on a sacrifice fly.

In the second, Avila got two more runs from a Diego Solis RBI single and Will Clark scoring on a wild pitch. With two outs, Tommy English scored Solis and Emmanuel Ealey on a two-RBI single go give the Eagles a 5-0 run after two.

Will Clark scored Stillwell an inning later on an RBI groundout as Avila entered the bottom of the third with a 6-0 lead.

After setting down the first six Lion batters in order, Nelson found its offense in the third, scoring twice to cut into the Eagle lead.

Nelson got another run back in the sixth inning, but could not score enough to keep up with Avila.

Stillwell pitched 5.2 solid innings on the mound, limiting Nelson's offense in the 6-3 victory.

Game two was the inverse of the opener, with the majority of the scoring coming late.

JJ Stubblefield and Dylan Atherton notched RBI singles in the third and fourth innings to put Avila on the board early.

Another run from a wild pitch in the sixth gave Avila a 3-0 lead.

Nelson answered right back in the bottom half, adding a run on a sac fly.

After the Nelson offense got on the board, Avila left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning with a chance to add insurance runs, something the Lions would make the Eagles pay for.

A two-RBI single from Nelson in the bottom of the seventh tied the game at 3-3.

Solis would score on the second run-scoring wild pitch of the game in the top of the eighth and Stubblefield drove in two more after reaching base on an error.

Nelson had one runner cross the plate in the bottom of the eighth, but was unable to muster anything more, giving Avila a 6-4 win and a doubleheader sweep.

Stubblefield led the team with three RBI and was the lone Eagle with multiple hits in the second game.

On the mound, Aidan Johnson pitched 4.0 strong innings, allowing just one hit while striking out four.

Avila will open up conference play next weekend, traveling to Southwestern for three games on Feb. 13 and 14. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 2 PM.

(photo credit: Rhett Rogers)