MARSHALL, Texas – The long ball was the enemy of the McMurry University baseball team, as it dropped an American Southwest Conference doubleheader at East Texas Baptist University – 12-8 and 3-2 – at Woods Field.  The War Hawks (11-20, 5-10 ASC) were swept in the three-game series, as well, by the Tigers (21-10, 12-3 ASC).
 
McMurry pitching was victimized by ETBU home runs late in both games.  In game one – a scheduled seven-inning affair which went eight innings – it was a Tigers' grand slam that provided the winning margin in walk-off fashion.  In the second game, a 2-2 tie was broken by an ETBU homer in the sixth inning of the seven inning contest.
 
The War Hawks battled back in the first game after trailing 4-0 through three innings. McM used some power of its own in the fourth when junior shortstop Noah Clarkson (2-for-2, 2 runs, 3 RBI) slugged his first home run of the year, a two-run shot to left, making it 4-2.
 
After ETBU got two runs back in its at-bats in the fifth, McMurry put a three-spot on the boar in the sixth. They key blows were an RBI single from Garrett Hurst (2-for-4, 2 runs, RBI) and a sacrifice fly from Clarkson.  McM's Chris Baker also crossed the plate on a wild pitch as the visitors cut the deficit to 6-5.
 
In the seventh, Robert White led off with a single through the left side of the infield. The, with one out, Matthew Chalk erased the Tigers' lead with a run-scoring double to left, knotting matters at 6-6.
 
In the top of the eighth, Clarkson doubled to right-centerfield to lead off.  After the first our was recorded on a grounder to short, Randy Crevier homered to left (his third of the year) as McM went on top, 8-6, in the extra frame.
 
Garrett Scudder, who had already pitched two scoreless innings in relief of starter Jack Poe, retired the first batter of the eighth to put McM within two outs of the win. But Scudder gave up a solo home run and a walk the next batter, ending his day as Tyler Jenkins (1-4) took the mound from his thirdbase position. A wild pitch, infield single and fielder's choice allowed ETBU to even the score at 8-8 with two still on base.
 
With two down, an intentional walk set loaded the bases and set up the force at any base. Jenkins then faced the Tigers' Casey Combs.  Combs slammed a 2-0 pitch over the leftfield fence for a walk-off grand slam.
 
McM senior John Eric Cortez (2-4) was the tough-luck losing pitcher in the second game, after a strong effort. Cortez had scattered seven hits and allowed all three ETBU runs. He struck out seven and walked just one.
                                                          
McMurry got Cortez a run in the first on a sacrifice fly from Chalk that plated White with the first run of the game.  After the Tigers got a run in the second, the War Hawks took the lead again when White hit his third round-tripper of the season, a solo shot with one out that made it 2-1.
 
ETBU leveled the game at 2-2 in its half of the third.  With two out, the Tigers had back-to-back doubles. That score held until the Tigers' sixth inning home run that provided the difference.
 
White was the War Hawks only player with multiple hits in game two, going 2-for-3 and scoring twice, as well.