Box Score
ALPINE, Texas – Sul Ross State scored eight runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and took a 14-5 win over McMurry University in the American Southwest Conference West Division series opener Thursday night at Kokernot Field.
The Lobos extended a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning by scoring eight runs on nine hits. For the first seven and one-half innings, the game was nip and tuck.
Dylan De Leon hit his first collegiate home run, a solo shot, to give McMurry a 1-0 advantage. Then, Brennyn Smith countered with a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the first for the Lobos.
From there, the Lobos took the lead with a solo homer in the bottom of the second to go up 2-1 before
Jeff Jackson hit an RBI single to tie the game at two in the top of the third. Sul Ross scored two runs in the home half of the fourth on an RBI ground out from James Johnson and a run-scoring single from Jared Mosqueda.
McMurry countered to take the lead in the top of the fifth on an RBI double from
Jake Mullin and a two-run single from
Matt Thompson. However, that would be the last offensive production for McMurry's offense.
Bill Tom Milburn quickly tied the score in the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer and Smith hit his second solo home run in the seventh to help the Lobos regain the lead at 6-5. In the eighth, Sul Ross recorded three straight hits, then had a sacrifice fly before five-straight singles followed by a double helped the offensive explosion.
McMurry was retired in order in the ninth by the Lobo starter, Nathan Molina. Molina moved to 7-3 on the season with a complete game on the mound. He allowed five runs on 11 hits walked two and struck out six.
Zack Hewitt picked up a no decision and allowed the first five Lobo runs in five innings. However, the bullpen combined for the last three innings of work and allowed 11 hits and nine runs.
Hunter Lane was charged with the loss.
McMurry fell to 18-16 overall and 10-6 in the ASC West while the Lobos moved to 16-14 overall and 8-8 in league play. The two teams will finish the series with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Friday.
