GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – After playing its last game two weeks ago, the McMurry University baseball team resumed action on the road and suffered a 7-4 loss at Texas Wesleyan University at The Ballpark in Grand Prairie.
 
The War Hawks (2-3) collected eight hits, while the Rams (7-4) rolled up 11 hits off of three McM hurlers.  Junior John Eric Cortez (0-2) started for McMurry and took the loss, working five innings. Cortez gave up six hits and four earned runs, departing the game trailing 4-2. He walked two and struck out two.
 
Benjamin Russell went 1 1/3 innings and allowed three hits and an earned run. Juan Valadez went the final 1 2/3 innings and was charged with two earned runs.
 
The War Hawks clawed to within a single run – 4-3 – in the top of the sixth. After Patrick Adams' leadoff single and Chris Baker was hit by a hitch, McM was in business. Tyler Jenkins lifted a deep fly to Center that allowed Adams to move over to third. Baker took second on a wild pitch and still just one out in the frame.  Colton Chalker grounded out to first, but it was enough to plate Adams before the inning came to a close.
 
The Rams added a single run in their half of the seventh and two more in the eighth to extend their advantage to 7-3. Kevin Garza's RBI fielder's choice in the ninth brought home Ty Kirk to make it the 7-4 final score.
 
Baker and Garza both were 2-for-3 from the plate and each also scored a run. Garza, Chase Bledsoe, Chalker and Kirk each had a run batted in. Kirk had a double and Garza a triple as the War Hawks only extra-base hits. TWU slapped three double and one homerun.
 
McMurry will next be in action on Tuesday (Feb. 23) at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, with a 2 p.m. first pitch.