ABILENE, Texas – The McMurry University baseball team saw a late inning lead slip through its fingers, dropping a 4-2 non-conference decision to Texas Lutheran University at Walt Driggers Field. With the loss, the War Hawks fell to 3-5 overall, while the Bulldogs improved to 5-5 on the year.
 
TLU struck first with an earned run off of McM starter Juan Valadez in the second inning. Valadez hit the leadoff batter, who was sacrificed to second. A walk was followed by a fly ball for the second out of the inning, before a single made it 1-0.
 
But McMurry had plenty of early chances, as well. In each of the first three innings, the War Hawks stranded a runner in scoring position. It was not until the bottom of the sixth that the hosts broke through.
 
Leadoff batter Robert White single through the right side. White moved over to third on Payton Stokes' double to rightfield. After Tyler Jenkins struck out, firstbaseman Chris Baker reached on a dropped third strike and an error on the catcher, which allowed White to score to knot the game at 1-1. With Matthew Chalk at the plate, McM pulled off a successful double steal, as Baker reached second and Stokes came home on the throw. Two strikeouts ended the frame with the War Hawks now on top, 2-1.
 
Meanwhile, Valadez held the Bulldogs at bay, despite having runners reach third base in both the sixth and seventh innings.
 
But in the eighth, Valadez's luck ran out. TLU's leadoff man reached on an error by Stokes, but was erased trying to steal for the first out.  But Valadez would issue three-consecutive walks, ending his evening at 7.2 innings and leaving after loading the bases.
 
John Eric Cortez came on in relief and walked the first man he faced, as well. That was followed by a two-RBI single that made it 4-2 before the third out was recorded.
 
McM had a last gasp in the bottom of the ninth, as Chalk led off with a single to left. Then, with one out, pinch-hitter John Pope II singled through the right side to bring the potential winning run to the plate, twice. However, Jordan Speck struck out swinging and Randy Crevier flew out to center to end the game.
 
Valadez (0-1) took the loss, his first decision of the young season.  Valadez struck out five, but also walked five. He gave up four of his team's five hits allowed in the game.
 
As a team, the War Hawks out-hit the Bulldogs by a nine-to-five count.
 
White went 2-for-4 with a run scored.  Crevier, batting in the No. 9 slot, also went 2-for-4.  Stokes was 2-for-3 with a run.
 
The same two teams square off in a doubleheader on Saturday at Driggers Field beginning at 1 p.m.