Box Score
Dakota Smith was put in an uncomfortable position going against the No. 8 team in the nation. However, the sophomore pulled through after a rocky start and got some help from his offense as McMurry knocked off the Patriots 11-8 at Driggers Field Monday afternoon.
Going directly into the Abilene Baseball Classic Tournament from Saturday and Sunday's series with Hardin-Simmons, McMurry's weekend starters weren't available to pitch against the nationally-ranked team. However, Smith stayed strong after a rocky start and put together three straight scoreless innings from the fifth to the seventh while McMurry mounted their offensive comeback.
Tyler scored four runs in the first two innings and added two in the fourth to take a 6-2 advantage. Lance Jones scored Gerad Morris on a groundout in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 6-3. Then after a scoreless top of the fifth for UT-Tyler, Brent Voorhees hit an opposite field 3-run homer to tie the score at six in the bottom of the fifth.
Smith held the Patriots scoreless again in the top of the sixth and McMurry tacked on three more runs thanks to a two-run homer from Derek David and Jones scored on an error to make the score 9-6.
UT-Tyler couldn't score again in the seventh so McMurry countered by adding another RBI single by Nate Love in the bottom of the seventh. Smith faced two runners in the eighth allowing both runners on base before Derek McBride came in relief. Kendall Fox hit a sacrifice fly to score Austin Newell.
However, on the same play Chad Deleidan was thrown out on a relay from Jones, to Love to David giving McMurry breathing room with a runner on first and two outs. McBride caused Clay Baker to ground out to end the inning and UT-Tyler trailed 10-7.
George Whitten led off with a single and later scored when Voorhees grounded into a double play with no outs, and it would be McMurry's last run.
Tyler threatened in the top of the ninth inning with Andrew Damewood and Jeremy Harding leading off with singles to start off the inning and Joseph Towns walked to load the bases with no outs. Hood grounded out to David but Damewood scored to cut the McMurry lead to three at 11-8.
However, McBride – the first-year varsity player struck out both Sam Parks and Deleidan to end the game and pick up the save.
Other than Deleidan being thrown out running, the Patriots had two runners thrown out at the plate. In the first inning, Lance Jones gunned Damewood who was trying to score on a Towns single. Later in the second inning, Whitten relayed a throw to Love who threw home to toss out Fox, who was trying to score off a Baker double.
Smith finished with seven innings, surrendered 15 hits, seven runs (six earned), walked two and struck out three. McBride shut the door allowing two hits, one run, two walks and two strikeouts.
Along with Voorhees' home run, he hit a two-run double in the first inning and finished with five RBI. David was 5 for 5 and was a triple short of the cycle.
UT-Tyler went 37-1 in 2007 and started the 2008 season at 15-1 before McMurry moved the Patriots to 15-2 after Monday's loss. McMurry improved to 10-7 overall on the season and will play Southwestern Tuesday at Noon.
