Box Score
BELTON, Texas – The McMurry University baseball team battled back from an early four-run deficit to cruise past the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 15-4, at Red Murff Field. The War Hawks improved to 10-22 overall and 5-14 in the American Southwest Conference.
The Cru (9-25, 5-14 ASC) hit McM starter
Rody Johnson (2-1) for three runs in the first and another in the second, moving ahead, 4-0. But after that point, Johnson settled down and scattered nine hits over 7.0 innings and struck out four UMHB batters, without issuing a walk.
Aaron Donald tossed two scoreless innings of relief to close out the game and preserve the win.
Meanwhile, the McM bats woke up in a big way in the third and fourth innings, producing nine runs in that span.
Kevin Garza led off the third with a double and, with one down, came home when
Jordan Speck traded places with him on a double top to left. A
Tyler Jenkins RBI single drove in Speck.
Chris Baker walked and
Matthew Chalk lined a single to load the bases for Blain McRay. McRay responded with a double down the leftfield line, plating Jenkins and Baker to knot the game at 4-4.
In the fifth – with two on and one out – Jenkins reached on an error at first base, allowing both War Hawks' runners to come home. Baker singled and Chalk walked to load the bases. After a UMHB pitching change and with two out,
Noah Clarkson drew a walk to force in Jenkins.
Payton Stokes then slapped a single up the middle, scoring two runs and capping the five-run frame, 9-4.
In the seventh, a two-run double by Speck made it 11-4. In the ninth, Stokes doubled down the rightfield line to open the at-bats. Two hit batters loaded the bases. Jenkins then slapped an RBI single, followed by a sacrifice fly foul by Baker, with an error allowing a second unearned run to come in. Jenkins would come home on a passed ball for the final 15-4 score.
The War Hawks out-hit the Cru by a 15-11 margin, led by Chalk. Chalk went 4-for-5, scored a run and drew a walk. Speck was 2-for-4, with two runs and three RBI.
Jenkins finished the night by going 2-for-6. Jenkins scored three times and drove in two. Stokes was 2-for-5, scoring twice and knocking in two runs, while Garza was 2-for-4 and crossed the plate three times.
The two teams will play a doubleheader on Friday, beginning at 1 p.m. to close out the three-game series.
