Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

ABILENE – McMurry hit six home runs, including three by designated hitter Weston Franco, to take an American Southwest Conference doubleheader over Sul Ross State Saturday afternoon at Walt Driggers Field.  McMurry took the first game 11-2 and finished out the three-game set with a 9-4 win.

The doubleheader sweep gives McMurry the series win over the Lobos, two games to one.  McMurry improves to 24-15 overall and 14-7 in ASC West play; meanwhile, Sul Ross finishes out ASC West play 5-34 and 4-17.

The McMurry seniors, playing in the last two games of their collegiate careers at Walt Driggers Field, stepped up in a big way Saturday.  In game one of the twinbill, senior pitcher Cody Curry got the win as he pitched six innings and only surrendered five hits and two earned runs. 

Franco, a senior designated hitter, helped Curry's cause out at the plate in a huge way as he finished the game 3 for 4 with three runs scored and three RBIs.  Two of Franco's hits in the first game were homers.  Senior second baseman Tre Lips also provided an offensive spark in the first game as he went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and one run scored.

Other seniors with strong showings in game one were Stephen Derrick, who went 2 for 4 with one run scored; Gerad Morris, who went 3 for 4 with one run scored and one RBI; and Nathan Love, who went 2 for 4 with one run scored.  Jake Mullin, a sophomore, also helped Curry's case as he blasted a two-run homer in the game.

A pair of McMurry senior pitchers combined in game two to get the win.  Adrian Gaona started the game and went five innings to get the win as he struck out seven and only gave up three hits and three earned runs (four runs total).  Dakota Smith relieved Gaona in the sixth inning and finished out the final four innings to get the save.  Smith struck out four batters and didn't allow a run.

Franco was huge at the plate again in game two as he finished 3 for 5, including a solo home run, and scored two runs.  Morris finished game two 3 for 5 with one run scored and one RBI, and Love went 3 for 4 with two runs scored.  Lips also helped McMurry's cause in game two as he drove in a game-high two RBIs, while Mullin and freshman Nathan Saltzgaber hit home runs for McMurry.   

With the wins, McMurry is locked in the third spot (by virtue of a second-place tiebreaker with Hardin-Simmons) in the ASC West standings, which means The Nation will be hitting the road for the first round of the ASC Baseball Championship.  McMurry will either be heading to Mississippi College or UT-Tyler. 

Because of rain delays, the Choctaws and UT-Tyler are playing a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday, and a single game at 4 p.m. on Monday – all three games are in Tyler.  Whoever wins that series will be the No. 1 seed in the East Division, meaning the loser of that series will be the No. 2 seed in the East and thus the destination McMurry will go for the opening-round game in the ASC Championship tournament.  

Before that happens, McMurry will finish out regular-season play with a 2 p.m. game on Tuesday against Southwestern in a non-conference game in Georgetown, Texas.