McMurry University baseball won the regular season finale against crosstown rival Hardin-Simmons University at HSU, winning 9-4, falling 7-6 and winning 8-5.

In the game Friday, April 26, coach Josh Lee's team scored three times in the third inning, once in the fifth, four times in the seventh and once in the eighth. Sophomore catcher Michael Smosna (Lubbock, Texas) launched in the third the first of McMurry's two homers for a 3 RBI, scoring sophomore infielder Riley Hood (Abilene, Texas) and junior infielder Ty Nelson (Scottsdale, Arizona). In the fifth, Smosna singled through the left side for a RBI, Hood advanced to third and sophomore outfielder Tatum Black (Friendswood, Texas) went home. In the seventh, Hood singled up the middle for a RBI and Nelson scored. Junior infielder Nolan Scherencel (Arlington, Texas) then nailed a homer for a 3 RBI, sending Smosna and Hood across home plate. In the eighth, Hood singled down the left field line for a RBI, junior outfielder Xavier Escobar (Buda, Texas) advanced to second and Nelson scored. McMurry collected 12 hits with contributions from Nelson (2), Escobar, Hood (3), Smosna (3), Scherencel, junior infielder Josh Mueller (Stamford, Texas) and Black. Escobar and Hood each stole a base.

Junior righty Bryson Morrill (Trophy Club, Texas) threw 4.2 innings while striking out six batters to raise his record to 3-0. Freshman lefty Braydon Durst (Fredericksburg, Texas) threw 4.1 innings and struck out three.

In the first game Saturday, April 27, McMurry scored two runs each in the first, fifth and seventh innings. The visitors immediately put the home team on its heels with consecutive homers in the first by Nelson and then Smosna. In the fifth, Scherencel singled to right center for a 2 RBI, scoring Hood and Nelson. In the seventh, Smosna nailed another homer for a 2 RBI, sending Hood home. McMurry got 10 hits with contributions from junior outfielder Koy Carpenter (La Vernia, Texas), Nelson (2), Hood (2), Smosna (2), Scherencel (2) and Mueller. Junior infielder Blake Beach (Atascocita, Texas) stole a base.

Freshman righty Ethan Wendel (Louise, Texas), who threw 2.1 innings while striking out two, was given the loss. Sophomore righty Will Cooper (Del Rio, Texas) threw 3.2 innings and struck out three.

In Saturday's second game, McMurry scored once in the first and second innings, twice in the third, once in the fifth and three times in the ninth. Hood flied out to center field in the first for a sacrifice RBI, scoring Carpenter. In the second, Escobar singled to right center for a RBI and Mueller went home. In the third, Mueller advanced to second base on a wild pitch and senior infielder Dylan Abbott (San Angelo, Texas) crossed home plate on a wild pitch. Carpenter then singled to center field and got to second on the throw for a RBI, Escobar went to third and Mueller scored. In the ninth, junior outfielder Casey Turner (Kingwood, Texas) homered for a 3 RBI, and sophomore infielder Jeremiah Enriquez (Galveston, Texas) and junior infielder Reid Brock (Anchorage, Alaska) went home. McMurry had 11 hits with contributions from Carpenter, Nelson (2), Hood, Abbott, Brock, Enriquez (2), Mueller, Turner and Escobar. Abbott and Mueller each stole a base.

Sophomore righty Hunter Poe (Midland, Texas) threw two innings while striking out two batters to increase his record to 3-2. Sophomore lefty Trey Gomez (Abilene, Texas) threw one inning and struck out one, sophomore righty Cooper Marshall (Boerne, Texas) threw one inning and struck out one, sophomore lefty G'anni Cade (Dallas, Texas) threw a portion of an inning and struck out one, sophomore righty Jerek Pena (Ira, Texas) threw a portion of an inning and struck out two, senior

righty Dylan Schafer (Cibolo, Texas) threw one inning and struck out two, junior righty Dalton Enberg (Llano, Texas) threw one inning and struck out one, junior righty Grayson Winter (Buda, Texas) threw one inning and struck out one, and junior righty Jonathan Enriquez (Galveston, Texas) threw one inning and struck out two.

McMurry, which finished 12-12 in the American Southwest Conference and 20-19 overall, enters the conference tournament as the fifth-place team. It will play Concordia Texas, the fourth-place team, at 2 p.m. Thursday in Marshall.

The winner of that game plays regular-season champion and tourney host East Texas Baptist at 2 p.m. Friday.