ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University Baseball split its doubleheader with Schreiner University Saturday afternoon at Walt Driggers Field, taking game one, 4-1, before falling, 3-0, in the nightcap. However, the War Hawks won the season-opening series, 2-1.
Up next for the War Hawks is a nonconference series with Howard Payne. McMurry will host the first game of the series on February 14, before the series concludes in Brownwood February 16 with a doubleheader beginning at noon.
McMurry 4, Schreiner 1
Right-handed pitcher J.T. Barnes allowed just one run in six-plus innings of work to get the win, allowing just one run on six hits. Barnes netted five strikeouts on just 78 pitches.
After Schreiner got on the board first in the top of the third, McMurry answered with two runs of their own. Mike Gonzales walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch before he came around to score on an RBI single by Matthew Chalk.
Chalk himself would then advance to second and third on wild pitches before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Nick Hamel.
Gonzales drove in a run with a single in the sixth, and Chalk drove in Payton Stokes with a sac fly to give McMurry a 4-1 lead.
The first two Schreiner runners would reach in the seventh on Barnes, but Hamel came in to record his second save of the season by getting a groundout double play and a strikeout to end the game.
Chalk went 3-for3 with a run and two RBIs, while Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
Schreiner 3, McMurry 0
Offense was tough to come by in game two on a chilly afternoon, as the Mountaineers shut out the War Hawks. They got seven scoreless innings from starting pitcher Devin Hooper, scoring single runs in three innings.
The War Hawks were able to get numerous runners on base, but hit into four double plays. Many line drives that would be hits unfortunately were right at a defender.
Schreiner got their first hit on a bunt single in the fourth, putting runners on first and second. The runners advanced on a throwing error, and the Mountaineers took the lead on a sacrifice fly. Schreiner would add their second run in the sixth on a passed ball with the bases loaded.
McMurry was in position to get on the board in the seventh, when pinch hitter Justin Kutz singled down the right field line advancing the runner to third. However, Kutz was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double to end the inning.
The Mountaineers would add an insurance run in the eighth on an RBI single.
Juan Valadez got the start on the mound, allowing two unearned runs in six innings on two hits. Valadez retired the side in order the first three innings. He had one strikeout, as well.
Seven War Hawks collected a hit, with Chalk having a double as the only extra-base hit.
