BY MIKE MONTFORT
Navarro Baseball took on a new identity Saturday.
They became Road Dawgs with a 5-2, 14-7 doubleheader sweep at Temple.
The wins, that extended Navarro's streak to four and 11 in its last 12, set the tone for the team's upcoming schedule.
Coach Whoa Dill's Dawgs (12-4/3-1) successfully started what will become a 10-game road trip and develop into an arduous 15- of-17 schedule. The road is a tough place to play.
Set the GPS. Outlline your Rand McNally for Brenham, Paris, Mount Pleasant, Sherman and Bossier, La. Including the Temple trip, that's four non-conference games and three Region XIV East Zone doubleheaders against early trending leaders PJC, Northeast and Bossier Parish.
On March 11, the Bulldogs return home to wash uniforms and play Tyler before embarking on another five-game trip: one to Waco to face third-ranked McLennan, plus league doubleheaders against Panola at Carthage and Angelina at Lufkin.
First things first. Monday, the team steams full speed into Brenham, where it faces coach Dusty Hart's Blinn Buccaneers (13-5 / 3-1).
The Bulldogs hit .286 and average about seven runs with East Zone-leading marks in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, runs-batted-in, extra-base hits, total bases and walks.
Hart, who coached Grayson to 40 wins per season over 16 and compiled a 623-280 record there, replaced Harvey McIntyre. McIntyre returned to full-time classroom teaching after compiling a 449-351 record in 14 Blinn seasons. Hart's Bucs, hitting .308 and averaging eight runs, are 9-2 at Dreyer Field after they swept South Zone foe Alvin 4-1, 8-3 Saturday.
Monday's 3 pm single game will be streamed live on TSBNSports.com
GAME 1: Navarro 5, Temple 2
Anthony Garcia and Tristan Wittau combined on a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts as Navarro took the seven-inning victory.
Leftielder Bryce Jones, designated hitter Wesley Jordan and second baseman T.J. Pryor delivered run-scoring hits for NC. The Bulldogs broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run fourth inning.
Garcia (3-2) yielded three hits and one earned run while striking out seven over five innings. Wittau nailed down his second gave with two perfect frames featuring three strikeouts.
GAME 2: Navarro 14, Temple 7
Jordan homered twice, scored three times and knocked in six runs to spark Navarro's 10-hit attack in the nightcap.
Griffin Binkley and Campbell Sullivan each drove in two runs as the Bulldogs powered out to a 9-3 lead after four innings. Catcher Grant Roosma slugged a solo home run and Bryson Griffin and Anthony Mata provided doubles in the 10-hit attack.
Starter Caden Greanand secured the pitching victory with three innings of work. Jake Simpson, Binkley and Carlos Garcia. Simpson surrendered three hits, one walk and one earned run in three relief innings. Garcia scattered four hits and struck out four in 2.2 innings.
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NAVARRO BASEBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS
16-Game Totals Through Saturday, February 25
HITTING
AT-BATS: 1. Eaton 53; 2, Jones 52; 3. Jordan 51
RUNS: 1. (Tie) Eaton and Jordan 15; 3. Jones 13
HITS: 1. Jones 19; 2. Eaton 17; 3. Houston 16
DOUBLES: 1. Jordan 6; 2. Houston 4; 3. Six with 2
TRIPLES: 1. Eaton 1
JHOME RUNS: 1. Jordan 7; 2 (Tie) Eaton and Koerbacher 4; 4. (Tie) Jones and Opoien 3
RUNS-BATTED-IN: 1. Jordan 20; 2. Jones 16; 3. Eaton 15
STOLEN BASES: 1. Simpson 6, Opoien 4; 3. Jones 3
WALKS: 1. Simpson 12; 2. Jordan 7; Jones 6
HIT BY PITCHES: 1. (Tie) Jones and Simpson 2; 3. Seven tied with 1
EXTRA BAS HITS: 1. Jordan 13; 2. Eaton 7; 3. Jones 5
TOTAL BASES: 1. Jordan 43, 2. Eaton 33; 3. Jones 30
PITCHING
APPEARANCES: 1. Greanead 7; 2. (Tie) Tanksley and Wittau 6
WINS; 1. Maldonado 3; 2. Wittau and Eaton 2
SAVES: 1. Tejada 3; 2. Greanead 2; 3. Three with 1.
INNINDS PITCHED: 1. Maldonado 20.2; 2. Garcia and Tanksley 20.1;
STRIKEOUTS: 1. Maldonado 27; 2. Tanksleu 19; 3. Eaton 17
