ABILENE, Texas – For the first time this year, Walt Driggers Field will be open for business as McMurry University Baseball will welcome St. Thomas (Houston) to Abilene for a three-game set this weekend.
The series begins on Friday, Feb. 14 with a doubleheader slated to begin at 3 p.m. The second game will begin 30 minutes after the opener. The series finale is set for Saturday at 1 p.m.
Live stats and live video links will be available all weekend. Additionally, Mike Ezekiel will be behind the microphone on Friday, while David Bacon will have the play-by-play for Saturday's action. Both links below are valid for the whole weekend.
LIVE STATS l LIVE VIDEO l TWITTER
NOTES:
LAST TIME OUT – The War Hawks completed a rare, three-game split this past weekend at Schreiner to open with a 1-1-1 record. After dropping a heart-breaking 12-10 loss in the season opener, McMurry came back with an 8-6 win on Saturday. The rubber match followed, but ended in a 13-13 tie due to a lack of daylight.
SCOUTING THE CELTS – Prior to the 2020 season, the University of St. Thomas (Houston) hasn't fielded a baseball team since 1969. The Celts began its new era of baseball on Feb. 1 and bring a 1-6 record into the weekend. St. Thomas earned its first win against Howard Payne last Saturday, 11-7. McMurry will be the Celts' first road trip since restarting the program.
SERIES HISTORY – Tomorrow will be the first all-time meeting between the two programs.
MORE TRIPLES – Last year, McMurry finished with four triples all season. In just three games this year, McMurry has six triples. Sophomore catcher Reed Hodges had two triples last weekend at Schreiner, while Sam Hillyer, Ryan Potter, Javier Rosa and Justin Kutz added one each.
HILLYER'S BIG WEEK – Junior utility player Sam Hillyer got it done at the plate last weekend, slashing .545/.667/1.091 in three games. He batted 6-for-11 with a homer, a triple, a double, five runs and seven RBI. He currently leads the American Southwest Conference in RBI. Hillyer also finished 1-1 on the mound, earning the team's first win by hitting in the go-ahead runs before holding off SU in the bottom half.
PICKING UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF – Sophomore Derek Hostas ended last season with a complete game victory, allowing just one unearned run and three hits against the Ozarks. He carried that momentum into the 2020 opener, twirling 5.0 innings with just one hit and two runs allowed…one of which was unearned. He carries a 1.80 ERA into this weekend.
BYINGTON BACK ON THE BENCH – Long-time McMurry skipper John Byington is one of the ASC's longest tenured coaches, as he enters his 12th season at the helm. The former Texas A&M standout also spent 10 years prior as an assistant coach, making this season his 22nd overall with the program.
LEE IS BACK – One of McMurry Baseball's all-time greats made his return to campus as an assistant coach this offseason, as Byington added Josh Lee to his staff back in August. Lee was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2004 following an All-American, an ASC Player of the Year and ASC Championship campaign as a utility player.
SILVER ANNIVERSARY – After a 47 year hiatus, McMurry Baseball restored its program in 1996 and will now enter its 25th season of modern era baseball. In that span, the War Hawks have celebrated four American Southwest Conference Championships and four NCAA Regional appearances in 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2008.
SEEKING A RETURN TO PROMINENCE – The War Hawks hold an all-time modern record of 576-478-3 for a 54.5 winning percentage. Last weekend's tie marks just the third draw since 1996. McMurry will look for their first winning season since 2015, where the team finished 31-13 overall and made a four-game run in the National Christian College Athletic Association Central Region tournament as an independent.
