Farr, Smith Shine in No. 7 Richland Win over No. 3 Eastfield

DALLAS – Dallas College Richland starter Bron Farr went the distance in a 3-1 win over third-ranked Dallas College Eastfield Thursday.

Farr (6-3) gave up an unearned run on six hits and no walks, and struck out two in the victory. It was his first complete game of the season and the fifth of his career. He went 3-1 in complete games last year, including two nine-inning outings.

Trey Smith had a solo home run and a double, and Sean Amarante had a two-run homer to supply the run production for the seventh-ranked Thunderducks, who moved within two games of the first place Harvester Bees in the Dallas Athletic Conference. Richland (29-20, 18-7 DAC) is two games ahead of No. 14 Dallas College Brookhaven (28-23, 16-9) for second place in the league with five games remaining in the regular season.

Eastfield (41-9, 20-5) scored the game's first run in the fifth inning before Richland responded with two of its own in the bottom of the seventh. The Thunderducks picked up an insurance run in the eighth, and Farr held the Harvester Bees in check in their last at-bat to secure the win.

Bees starter Tyler Do (5-3) gave up two runs on four hits and two walks, and struck out five over seven innings. Cooper Sexton allowed one run on a hit and no walks, and had one strikeout in an inning of relief.

The Thunderducks had five hits. Richland's Bobby Gutierrez and Mason Anania both went 1 for 3. It was Amarante's 11th home run of the season. Smith's homer was his ninth.

Eastfield had six hits. Jorge Herrera went 2 for 4. Joshua Blanco was 1 for 3 with a stolen base. Sebastian Palma had a pinch-hit single in his lone plate appearance. Michael Caputo and Drew Saenz each went 1 for 4.

Game 2 in the three-game series is scheduled for 12 p.m. Saturday at Eastfield.