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ABILENE, Texas – Dakota Smith and Derek Saltzgaber powered McMurry University to its first win of the season Sunday with a 10-2 win over the University of the Southwest at Walt Driggers Field. Smith tied a career high with nine strikeouts and didn't allow an earned run in six innings of work while Saltzgaber drove in four runs on two hits.

The Mustangs scored in the top of the first inning after a throwing error allowed Joshua Capello to score. Then, McMurry tied the score in the third when Jordan Brown's RBI single scored Deen Coleman. Colby Walding doubled home a run in the fourth and Saltzgaber sacrificed home a run in the fifth to extend the lead to 3-1.

Smith struck out nine hitters matching a previous high in the 2008 season when he struck out nine Schreiner hitters March 29 in 8.2 innings. He allowed just two hits and walked two to pick up his first win of the season.

In the seventh, McMurry's Zack Hewitt came to pitch in relief and Micah Martinez scored on a passed ball to cut the lead to 3-2. However, that would be the last run that the Mustangs could muster up.

In the seventh, McMurry scored three runs highlighted by a sacrifice fly from Matt Thompson and an RBI single from Saltzgaber. Then, in the eighth Jeff Jackson hit a 2-run double with the bases loaded and Saltzgaber followed with a two-run single to cap a four-run inning and put McMurry in front 10-2.

Cory Davis threw the final two innings for McMurry and needed just 23 pitches to retire all six hitters he faced including two strikeouts. All in all, the Mustangs struck out 13 times and committed five errors on defense to lead to their doom.

McMurry combined for 11 hits and drew seven walks including three from Jake Mullin who already has drawn six walks in three games so far this season.

McMurry improved to 1-2 and dropped USW to 3-3. McMurry heads to Orange, Calif. to play a three-game set with Chapman Friday and Saturday.