ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University's baseball team was ambushed out of the gate and saw its winning streak halted at 10 games after suffering a 13-7 loss to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor at Walt Driggers Field. 
 
The loss left the War Hawks with a 13-4 record, while the Cru improved to 7-6 by winning their fifth straight.
 
UMHB jumped all over McMurry starter Trevor Ragsdale (0-1), pushing across five runs in the first inning alone. In the second, Ragsdale gave up two more hits and two more runs before McM head coach John Byington lifted him after retiring just one batter. John Eric Cortez came on and got the second out of the inning, before allowing back-to-back singles that plated another run charged to Ragsdale. In all, Ragsdale was charged with seven earned runs and seven hits in 1 1/3 innings of work.
 
In all, UMHB rolled up 19 hits in the first meeting between these two schools since 2012. McM had plenty of pop of its own – smacking 15 hits – with its 11th double-figure hit total of the year. However, the War Hawks were limited to single runs in the third, fourth and eighth innings.
 
McMurry's biggest offensive spurt came in the seventh frame when it notched four runs. Nick Marsh opened with a single through the left side then, with one out, consecutive singles by Kyle Sargent and Christian Simmons got Marsh home to make it 12-3 at that point. Patrick Adams drilled a single to right that extended his personal hitting streak to 13 games and also loaded the bases for McM's leading hitter, Cody Howard.
 
Howard responded by crushing a 2-2 pitch to centerfield for a base-clearing triple that made it 12-6 through seven. In the bottom of the eighth, Sargent's RBI ground out cut the War Hawks' deficit to 12-7 heading into the final inning. However, UMHB added one more in the top of the ninth for the 13-7 final score.
 
On the night, Howard went 3-for-5 with four RBI, raising his season batting average to .422. His triple gave him five three-baggers - a total of 14 extra-base hits - in 2015.
 
Simmons and Adams both finished the game with 2-for-5 nights at the plate. Marsh, Mikal Hunter and Sargent all were 2-for-4.
 
Cru pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts and did not walk a batter. UMHB starter Aaron Barteau (2-0), who got the win, had seven of those strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of work.
 
These same two teams will face off again on Saturday at Driggers Field for a single game. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.