ABILENE, Texas – The McMurry University baseball team was held to a single run in its series-opener versus the University of Texas-Dallas, falling 4-1 at Walt Driggers Field. The same two teams will play a doubleheader on Friday at 1 p.m. to conclude the series.
 
The loss dropped the War Hawks to 15-17 overall. The Comets shot to 18-12 with the victory.
 
McM's Benjamin Russell – who took the loss to fall to 3-2 on the year – and UTD's Aaron Bach (5-4) locked in a classic pitcher's duel early on. Russell gave up a run in the top of the second, after two singles and a walk in the segment.
 
McMurry evened matters at 1-1 in the bottom half of the third. With one down, Blaine McRay slapped a single through the left side and took second on a ground out.  Matt Chalk cracked a single up the middle that plated McRay with the tying run, 1-1.
 
In the sixth, the Comets played some "small ball" to add a pair of runs. With runners on the corners and no out, a sacrifice bunt by David McKenzie got in one run for UTD. A bunt single followed to again but runners at the corners. Brandon George then laid down another sacrifice bunt to make it 3-1.
 
A leadoff double in the top of the ninth ended Russell's night, with 8.0 innings pitched. He permitted 11 of UTD's 12 hits in the game and was charged with all four earned runs. 
 
Sophomore Tyler Jenkins came on in relief. Jenkins saw his first batter reach on an error and was also greeted with the Comets' short game as UTD scored its third run of the game on a sacrifice bunt for the final 4-1 score.
 
The Comets' Bach threw the complete game, scattering seven hits and permitting one run. He struck out five and walked one for UTD.
 
McMurry's Nos. 1-4 batters – Kevin Garza, Chalk, Ty Kirk and Jenkins – collected one hit, apiece.