GOODWELL, Okla. — While the offense wasn't quite as potent as the day before, the Newman baseball team got more than enough of it as it closed out a three-game Heartland Conference series sweep against Oklahoma Panhandle State Sunday afternoon.
The Jets (16-8, 4-2 Heartland) picked up two big swings of the bat from Garett Thomas and another solid outing from starter Kane McCarthy to roll to a 3-1 victory over the Aggies (4-20, 0-6 Heartland).
Newman started out each of the first two innings with singles, but stranded the runners as OPSU jumped out to a 1-0 lead thanks to a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the second. The hosts held on to that lead until the first at-bat of the fourth, when Thomas cranked his seventh home run of the season over the wall in right to tie things up.
After McCarthy breezed through a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half, the Jets jumped out in front in the top of the fifth. Paul Rupnik led off with a walk, and Mitchell Beaudreau reached on a fielder's choice when the Aggies couldn't complete a double play. After Lucas Norton and Tyler Bugner each drew two-out walks, Thomas was back at the plate, and responded with a two-run double to left center to make it a 3-1 game.
The Jets picked up a pair of insurance runs in the eighth, as Bugner led off with a single and came around to score as Brian Canfield reached on an error. Aaron Mack, who singled to push Bugner to third, scored as Jordan Doan reached first on a dropped third strike with two outs, making it a 5-1 advantage.
McCarthy breezed through the middle portion of the game as Newman built its lead, allowing just a lone walk over the fourth through seventh innings. He went 7 1/3 innings to grab the win, allowing the one run on four hits and two walks while striking out three. Corey Mondello tossed the final five outs, getting a double play to end the eighth and throwing a perfect ninth.
Thomas finished the day 2-for-4 with a run and three RBIs. Norton and Bugner each posted a hit and a walk, while Mack and Canfield each chipped in with a base knock.
The Jets head back to Wichita for a three-game Heartland Conference series against Texas-Permian Basin Friday and Saturday.