ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University Baseball hosted Mary Hardin-Baylor in American Southwest Conference action on Friday, opening a three-game set with UMHB winning 8-3 under the lights at Walt Driggers Field.

The War Hawks (2-5, 0-4 ASC) had chances to rally late, but the Cru (3-1, 3-1 ASC) held its lead all the way through the fourth inning. After adding three unearned runs in the fourth, the Cru tacked on three more the next half inning with a pair of homers.

Trailing 6-0, McMurry cut the deficit in half with three runs in the sixth. The rally started with Dylan Abbott singling up the middle, followed by a sac bunt-turned-error to reach Blake Beach. This set the table for Nick Hamel, who ripped a double to score both players.

With Hamel on second, freshman Logan Mercer snuck one through the right side. Hamel rounded third and slid home, making it 6-3. The War Hawks left two on that inning, stranding the tying run at the plate.

UMHB tallied two more in the ninth to go up by five – a familiar setting for McMurry after last week's five run comeback to tie it in the ninth at Sul Ross State. This time, McMurry's Javier Rosa led off with a single, but was erased immediately on a double play. Blake Beach tripled with two outs, but a ground out ended the night.

Despite the loss, Derek Hostas recorded six strikeouts over seven innings of work with just three of his six runs counting against him. His counterpart, James McGlumphy, earned the win with a quality start, going 6.0 innings with three runs – two earned – allowed.

Reed Hodges led the team with two hits, while Hamel, Beach, Mercer, Rosa and Abbott had one apiece.

The series continues Saturday at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader.