A two-run shot by junior Alek Houillion provided a charge for the Jesuit Dallas offense as the Rangers secured a 4-3 win over J.J. Pearce in non-district action on Saturday at Wright Field. The Rangers racked up six extra-base hits in the win and improve to 13-5 against non-district competition.
 
Junior Tyson Pointer went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles while Houillion finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate. In addition to his success in the batters' box, Houillion additionally secured the save on the mound after retiring the game-ending out in the top of the seventh.
 
Seniors Jack Lynch and Garrett Reuben drove in one run each while classmate Ben Shepherd earned the win on the mound with four innings of work, allowing four hits and one run while striking out four batters. Junior Matthew Cox entered in the fifth and hurled two innings of one-hit work while striking out two batters.
 
Pearce (15-6-1) scored in the top of the second on a wild pitch, but Shepherd was able to work his way out of a jam with two runners on base with an inning-ending strikeout. In the bottom of the frame, Pointer ripped a ball to left that one-hopped off the wall to set the stage for Houillion, who rocketed a 2-1 pitch to deep left center field that bounced off of the fence for a 2-1 Jesuit lead.
 
Shepherd finished his outing by working out of another jam in the third before retiring the Mustangs in order during the fourth inning. Cox entered in the fifth and retired the Pearce fifth in order before Jesuit scored in the bottom of the frame. Junior Braxton Boyle reached base with one out in the inning on a J.J. Pearce error before a double to plate Boyle for a 3-1 advantage. Back-to-back doubles by Houillion and Lynch increased the lead to three runs in the bottom of the sixth.
 
Pearce rallied in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs on two hits and one Jesuit error before Houillion was able to shut the door with the tying run on third and winning run on second base.
 
Jesuit will return to district play on Tuesday, Apr. 9 as the Rangers will travel to Plano Senior H.S. to battle the Wildcats at 7:30 p.m. Plano is currently 4-3 in district and is in control of the final playoff spot while the Rangers currently sit one game behind the Wildcats. The two teams will close the season series at Wright Field on Friday evening.