STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Interstat) — Rayner Heinrich’s grand slam in the fourth inning turned a one-run deficit into a five-run lead and propelled Tarleton State to a 10-8 victory over Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Saturday evening at Tarleton Baseball Complex.

The Texans improved to 33-16 overall, while the Vaqueros dropped to 24-27. Each team recorded 10 hits in a game that featured five home runs and a pair of multi-run innings.

Tarleton State trailed 4-1 entering the bottom of the fourth. After a walk and a hit batter loaded the bases with one out, Ike Shirey singled to left field to score two runs and cut the lead to 4-3. Two batters later, Heinrich launched a 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall, clearing the bases and putting the Texans ahead 7-4. The grand slam was Heinrich’s only hit of the afternoon in five at-bats and gave him four RBIs.

Texas-Rio Grande Valley answered in the top of the fifth. Kike Cienfuegos had started the game for the Vaqueros, working two innings and allowing one earned run on no hits with one strikeout. But the Vaqueros’ offense responded in the fifth when Andrew Taylor singled to drive in two runs, cutting the deficit to 7-6. Taylor finished 2 for 2 with two RBIs.

Tarleton State countered immediately in the bottom half. Brady Englett homered to left field with a runner on base, stretching the lead to 9-6. Two batters later, Kade Johnson singled up the middle to drive in another run, making it 10-6.

The Vaqueros mounted one final rally in the eighth. With one out, Garza Gongo homered to left-center field, scoring Warren and pulling Texas-Rio Grande Valley within 10-8. But Tarleton State’s bullpen shut the door. Conner Doucet pitched 1⅓ scoreless innings with one strikeout, Brendon Carter worked a scoreless inning with one strikeout, and Tai Phetluangsy retired the side in order in the ninth to earn the save.

JC Gutierrez pitched two scoreless innings for the Vaqueros, allowing no hits and striking out four. Calvin Junek also threw a scoreless inning with one strikeout. For the Texans, Shirey went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and Englett finished 1 for 2 with two RBIs and a home run.

The game marked the second of a three-game series after Tarleton State won 7-4 on Friday. The series concludes Sunday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tarleton State 7, Texas-Rio Grande Valley 6. Interstat’s ELO system gave the Vaqueros a 50.40 percent probability to win.