BELTON, Texas -   The McMurry University baseball team suffered a pair of tough losses in a non-conference doubleheader at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. The War Hawks (9-15) lost to the Crusaders (10-11) by scores of 2-0 and 8-6 at Red Murff Field.
 
In game one, the War Hawks stranded four runners in scoring position in suffering just their second shutout of the season. McM's Chris Baker had a two-out single in the second and Payton Stokes (1-2) drew a walk, only. In the fifth, Stokes laced a one-out single, stole second and took third on Austin Broce's grounder to short.
 
Then, in the sixth with two outs, Matthew Chalk (1-2) drew a walk. Tyler Jenkins (1-3) singled to center and, when the ball was misplayed, Chalk went to third and Jenkins moved up to second. However, both men were stranded to thwart the comeback hopes.
 
McMurry starter Jack Poe (3-2) went 4.1 innings in absorbing the loss. Poe gave up four hits and both earned runs.  He struck out six, but also walked four and hit two batters.
 
In game two, McMurry and UMHB mirrored each other's line score for the first six innings of the seven inning contest. 
 
The War Hawks put up three runs in the top of the first, thanks to an RBI ground out by Broce and a two-run double from Baker (1-3).  All three runs were unearned.  But in the bottom of the frame, McM starter Reese Etter gave up a pair of home runs that knotted matters at 3-3.
 
The two teams remained deadlocked until the fourth. With the bases loaded for McM, Chalk grounded into a force out at second that drove home Stokes (2-3, 2 runs). Stokes had reached via a leadoff single. Once again, however, the Crusaders got the run – which was unearned - back in their half of the fourth off reliever John Eric Cortez, who took over to open the second.
 
Sitting in the 4-4 ball game, McM mounted a two-out rally in the top of the fifth. Baker drew a walk and Stokes followed with a double, with Baker stopping at third. Blaine McRay (2-2) then slapped a single up the middle that drove home both War Hawks' teammates, making it 6-4.
 
But it was a case of "déjà vu all over again" when UMHB tagged reliever Rody Johnson for two runs in the bottom of the fifth. A scoreless sixth by both teams sent the game to the final frame of regulation still tied, 6-6.
 
McM was not able to add to its total, which brought UMHB to the plate against the War Hawks' fourth hurler of the game, Garrett Scudder. Scudder (0-2), who came on in relief of Johnson in the fifth, was unable to get an out in the seventh. A double and walk-off homer by the Cru made it the final 8-6 score.
 
The War Hawks will return home for a single game on Tuesday (6 p.m.) versus Texas Wesleyan University at Walt Driggers Field.