BROWNWOOD, TEXAS – A pair of first-rate starting pitching performances laid the groundwork for McMurry University to enter the win column Saturday, Feb. 25.
 
Head coach Josh Lee, earning his first two victories at the helm of the Maroon and White, saw his squad rally in game two of the three-game American Southwest Conference series against Howard Payne University and then take that momentum in the finale and never trail. McMurry's 5-3 win in Saturday's opener at HPU Baseball Complex was sparked by a gritty start from sophomore Adam Trevino (Galveston, Texas) and another sparkling bullpen effort from freshman Bryson Morrill (Trophy Club, Texas). Trevino kept the War Hawks down only three runs early until they rallied with two in the fifth and three in the sixth. Between the two of them, they only allowed six hits and struck out four.
 
The bat of sophomore outfielder Xavier Escobar (Buda, Texas) supplied plenty of power. He was four-for-four with three RBI, including driving in the eventual game-winning scores with a two-run single in the sixth.
 
The weekend set finale belonged to freshman Cooper Marshall. The Boerne, Texas, right-hander locked up the Yellow Jackets on five hits, surrendering two runs with five strikeouts over six frames. Lee's bullpen held the 4-2 lead in check with three innings of one-hit work.
 
Sophomore second baseman Riley Hood (Abilene, Texas) was the hitting leader with two safeties that drove in three runs. Escobar returned with a key double and run scored to conclude a five-for-eight plate outing.
 
McMurry, improving to 2-7 overall and 2-1 in the ASC, returns to Walt Driggers Field Tuesday, Feb. 28. The University of Dallas visits for a 7 p.m. start.
 
NOTES: Marshall's numbers continue to impress on the mound. He's struck out four or more opposing hitters in all three of his starts as part of a shiny 2.35 earned run average … Morrill has placed himself among the top league relievers. He's allowed only two earned runs in three appearances en route to a 1.86 ERA.