Box Score
ABILENE – Clint Johnston 3-hit the Schreiner Mountaineers tying a career high with 12 strikeouts to shut out the visitors in the first of a 3-game series Friday night at Driggers Field. It took 123 pitches, but Johnston was masterful walking just one hitter in nine innings as McMurry won 10-0.
Johnston surrendered a hit in the first, third and sixth innings, but the Mountaineers could never do any damage. The junior starter seemed to get stronger as the game went on as he retired the last 11 hitters he faced and struck out four of those batters.
Schreiner starter Chris Armijo kept McMurry's offense in check until the fifth inning. McMurry held just a 1-0 lead before erupting with six runs on six hits in the fifth inning. Six different players recorded RBI in the inning.
McMurry's Derek David finished 3 for 5 with four RBI and hit his 12th home run of the season in the eighth inning with a towering solo homer to left centerfield. Steven Yurchick had four hits, scored three runs and drove in a run. George Whitten, Stephen Derrick, Jeff Jackson and Lance Jones all drove in runs for McMurry.
Schreiner had runners reach third base on just two occasions, but McMurry's defense was able to escape both times. In the first inning, Juan Gonzalez reached on an error to begin the game. Eric Crenwelge reached on a fielders' choice with Gonzalez out at second on the play. Then Matt Langston doubled to move Crenwelge to third. However, Johnston shut the door by striking out A.J. Mann and Oliver Stogsdill consecutively.
Then in the sixth, Crenwelge flew out to start the inning. Langston singled, then stole second and moved to third on Mann's ground out. But once again, Johnston nixed any offensive opportunity for the Mountaineers and struck out Stogsdill to end the inning.
Schreiner entered the series tied with McMurry for second in the American Southwest Conference West Division. With the loss, Schreiner fell to 5-5 in league play and 8-18 overall. McMurry moved to 6-4 in the west and improved to 16-11 on the season.
The two teams will face off in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday. Prior to the first game and in between games, McMurry will honor the 1998, 2001 and 2004 ASC championship teams at the Weekend of Champions. An estimated 50 former players and coaches are expected to be in attendance.
