Nationally ranked Navarro improved to 17-5 and strengthened its Region XIV East Zone lead with its weekend conference series sweep of the Tyler Apaches.

The Bulldogs secured victories of 9-0 and 11-2 in a nightcap shortened to seven innings by the run rule. 

Streaking Navarro, winners of four in a row, 10 of its last 11 and 12 of its last 14, outscored the Apaches (16-6/9-4) 41-4 in the series.  On Monday, coach Matt Podjenski's Bulldogs are scheduled to host Hill (14-9/3-4) for a 3 pm Monday non-conference game at Perry D. Graham Field.

During Saturday's twinbill, Bulldog shortstop Cash Rugely collected 16 total bases.  He went 7-for-8 at the plate with two home runs and three doubles and was hit by a pitch. He also scored five runs, knocked in five, stole two bases over the course of 14 innings. 

Game 1:  Navarro 9, Tyler 0

Starting pitcher Jake Combs cruised to his fourth win of the season, hurling a complete game, two-hit shutout. Combs walked one and struck out four.

Rugely, Logan Letney and Chad Ricker each homered to pace a nine-hit Navarro attack that included four doubles.  Letney drove in three runs and Ricker was 2-for-2 with two runs scored. 

Game 2:  Navarro 11, Tyler 2  (7 Innings)

The top three in Navarro's batting order -- Rugely, second baseman Zac Vooletich and leftfielder Alex Vergara -- went 6-for-12 scored five runs and knocked in seven.

Rugely led off the Navarro first with a home run to rightfield. 

The Bulldogs trailed 2-1 in the fifth, but exploded for 10 runs across the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.  Vergara's two-run double in the seventh enacted the run-rule.

Reliever Austin Ream went three-and-two-thirds innings of two-hit shutout work for his first win.  Starting pitcher Riley Bauman yielded five hits and two runs in his three-and-one-third inning stint. 

-----