ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University's baseball team – with its back to the wall in hopes of a National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) post-season berth – came out swinging in a doubleheader sweep over the University of the Ozarks to keep those hopes alive.  The War Hawks topped the Eagles (14-25) by scores of 15-1 and 6-2.
 
It will all come down to Saturday's (1 p.m.) regular-season finale with UO at Walt Driggers Field. McM – currently 19-20 overall - needs to reach a .500 record to qualify for the NCCAA's post-season.
 
Entering Friday's twinbill knowing it needed a series sweep to extend its season beyond the weekend, the McMurry squad had an offensive explosion.  In the pair of victories, the War Hawks combined for 21 runs, 27 hits, seven doubles and slugged six home runs (three in each games).
 
But in the day's opener, McM really didn't need that much offense considering the outstanding performance of starting pitcher Garrett Johnston. Johnston evened his personal record at 4-4 on the year by spinning a two-hitter, for a seven-inning complete game. He struck out two and walked two, not allowing a hit until one out in the sixth inning, when the Eagles managed their lone run.
 
McMurry gave Johnston plenty of support from the outset, scoring three runs in the first and four in the second for a 7-0 lead early on. McM tallied at least one run in every inning. In the first, it was an RBI double by Ty Kirk and a two-run homer by Chris Baker which helped the War Hawks break out of the gate fast. The second frame was highlighted by Tyler Jenkins' two-run blast to right-center field.
 
The War Hawks plated a run on a wild pitch in the third and Kirk slammed a leadoff solo home run in the fourth. Two more runs in the fifth made it 11-0.  In what would be their final at-bats in the bottom of the sixth, Kirk's two-run double pushed McM's lead to 15-1 and gave the War Hawks' thirdbaseman six RBI on the day.
 
Kirk was a perfect 4-for-4 and also scored three times.
 
Leadoff man Kevin Garza was 2-for-5 and scored four runs and Jenkins also went 2-for-5 with two RBI.  Baker and Patrick Adams were both 2-for-3, with Baker driving in two and Adams scoring twice. Noah Clarkson had three RBI, going 1-for-4.
 
In the nightcap, McMurry got all it would need in the bottom of the third inning by posting a four-spot on Ozarks' starter Luke Dyer. With two out, Garza singles and Clarkson ripped his first homer of the season. Kirk then singled for McM's third-straight hit and Jenkins lifted his team-leading eighth home run to make it 4-0.
 
After the Eagles scored in the top of the fourth, catcher Taylor Ward's solo shot in the bottom half of the frame made it 5-1. UO added another tally in the seventh to cut it to 5-2, but in the bottom of the eighth McMurry made it the 6-2 final on an RBI single from Matt Chalk.
 
Chalk was 3-for-4 with a double.  Clarkson, Kirk and Baker all had identical 2-for-4 lines and each scored a run, as well. Clarkson also drove in two runs.
 
McM's starting pitcher Benjamin Russell (3-4) went 6.1 innings, scattering nine hits and the two runs (one earned). Russell struck out two and walked none. Ricky Lopez went the final 2.2 innings – also striking out two – to register his first save of the year.