Bees Open Season with Three-Game Sweep

MESQUITE, Texas – Dallas College Eastfield's No. 2-ranked baseball team opened the season with a three-game sweep of Arkansas State University-Three Rivers.

The Harvester Bees won Sunday's opener, 5-0, before collecting 15-2 and 15-5 victories in Monday's doubleheader sweep.

Eastfield pitchers Marcus Peters and Austin Noel combined for a no-hitter in the season opener. Peters went the first 4.1 innings, striking out eight, and allowing two walks. Noel went the final 4.2 innings without allowing a baserunner, and striking out three for the save.

River Curs and Jeremiah Bush each homered for the Bees. Bush also tripled, and drove in two runs. John Jackson was 1-for-4 with a triple. Gabe Forer singled, and drove in a run.

In the first game Monday, the Harvesters scored in each of the first six innings, putting five runs on the board in the third to open a 9-0 lead. Three Rivers scored twice in the sixth before Eastfield responded with three more of its own in the bottom half of the inning.

The Bees pounded 15 hits, while Three Rivers had four.

Payton Poole was 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, three RBI, a stolen base and two walks. Peyton Tuggle went 3-for-5 with a stolen base and two RBI. Jackson was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a stolen base. Josh Vaughn had two hits, including a double, and an RBI in four at-bats. Michael Caputo was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI.

Jacob Prokarym worked the first 3.2 innings, allowing two hits, no runs and two walks, and struck out six to secure the win on the mound. Ryan Johnston pitched a perfect seventh inning, striking out one of the three batters he faced to lock down the victory.

In the final game of the series, ASU-Three Rivers opened a four-run lead in the second inning before Eastfield exploded for eight runs in the third to take control. The Harvester Bees added three more in the fourth and four more in the fifth to put the game away.

Jackson was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Caputo went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI. Curs doubled, and drove in three runs. Jorge Herrera doubled, and had four RBI. Bush went 1-for-2, and drove in a run. Poole was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Aubrey Whitehead doubled, and collected one of Eastfield's eight walks.

Tyler Do worked three innings of relief, allowing three hits, a run and two walks, while striking out four to notch the win.

Eastfield hosts Howard College in a three-game series beginning Friday at noon.