SEGUIN, Texas – Dakota Smith helped McMurry salvage a split Saturday at Katt-Isbel Field with McMurry taking the first game of a doubleheader 7-0 and Texas Lutheran took game two and the series with an 8-1 victory in the series finale. Smith pitched a five-hit shutout to help McMurry to its only win of the three-game series; TLU took Friday's single game 17-3.

The three-game set was the American Southwest Conference West Division Series opener for both teams. The Bulldogs took an early 2-1 start in the ASC West standings while McMurry begins 1-2.

In game one, Smith scattered five hits over seven innings, walked two and struck out three to move to 3-2 on the season. On the offensive side, McMurry had nine hits with Jake Mullin and Greg Guse each driving in two runs apiece while Jeff Jackson and Bradd Baker each drove in runs for McMurry.

The top five hitters in the batting order for TLU all had one hit apiece and Smith kept batters six through nine in the Bulldog lineup hitless.

In game two, Travis Staggs took a one-hit shutout into the ninth inning for TLU. However, the right-handed starter would have to settle for a three-hitter and McMurry scored a run in the ninth, but the Bulldogs took an 8-1 win.

Staggs walked four and struck out four to move to 3-1 on the season and recorded 13 flyball outs and eight groundouts in the victory.

The Bulldogs pounded out 17 hits with Jason McGill getting four hits and Ryan Nokelby collecting three. TLU scored a run in each of the first two innings, two in the sixth, one in the seventh and three in the bottom of the eighth.

Zack Hewitt picked up the loss for McMurry on the mound; the sophomore threw 5.2 innings and allowed four runs. Then, the bullpen combined for the final 2.1 innings and allowed nine hits and four runs.

Texas Lutheran improved to 14-5 overall and 2-1 in league play while McMurry moved to 7-11 overall and 1-2 in conference play.