AUSTIN, Texas – Powered by a nine-run explosion in the fifth inning, the McMurry University baseball team was able to garner a split of its doubleheader at Concordia University-Texas, winning game two 9-8 after losing the opener (4-3), at Tornados Field. It was the most runs scored by the War Hawks' (7-13, 2-7 ASC) in any inning this season.
 
In that huge fifth frame, McMurry sent a total 14 batters to the plate. McM amasses five of its eight hits as a team in those at-bats, alone.  The War Hawks also took advantage of five walks issued by the CTX staff, as well as a throwing error.
 
As it turned out, McMurry needed every one of those runs against the strong Tornados (14-7, 7-2 ASC). CTX led 4-0 after four full innings and – even after the War Hawks took a 9-4 lead – fought back with a run in the fifth and three in the sixth to make things interesting.
 
McMurry starter Ben Russell went 4.1 innings and was charged with five runs, just two of which were earned. Aaron Donald came on in the fifth, throwing 1.1 innings and was charged with three runs.
 
McM newcomer Devin Molina was summoned to the mound in the sixth with the potential tying run on third. After walking his first batter, Molina (1-0) - who received credit for the win - then induced a grounder to shortstop for a force out to end the Tornados' threat. Tyler Jenkins – who started the game at firstbase – threw two scoreless and hitless innings of relief to earn his first save of the season.
 
Matthew Chalk went 2-for-4, scored once and drove in a run, as the only McM player with multiple hits. Payton Stokes and Kevin Garza each drove in two runs.  Garza had the War Hawks' only extra-base hit with a fifth-inning double.  Nick Hamel scored twice and drove in a run.
 
In the seven-inning first game, McMurry found itself down, 3-0, after four innings of play. But with one out in the sixth, the War Hawks strung together five-consecutive singles by Taylor Ward, Noah Clarkson, Jordan Speck, Stokes and Jenkins. The result was three runs that knotted the game.
 
McM starter Jack Poe went a full six innings, but didn't figure in the decision. Poe scattered 10 hits and was charged with three runs. He struck out four and did not walk a batter, giving way to Juan Valadez in the seventh.
 
Valadez, however, was not able to hold the Tornados at bay. Valadez hit the first batter he faced and then, after a sacrifice bunt, walked two batters to load the bases. He then hit his second batter of the inning to force in the winning run.
 
McMurry will host a three-game weekend series, beginning Friday, versus the University of Texas-Tyler.