ABILENE - McMurry completed the series sweep against Austin College by taking both games of Sunday's doubleheader.
The War Hawks secured a 7-5 victory in the first game of the doubleheader Sunday against Austin College in a game filled with back-and-forth action.
The game began with a quiet first inning for both sides. McMurry got on the board in the second inning with an RBI single from Samantha Gonzales to give the War Hawks an early 1-0 lead.
Austin College responded in the top of the third inning, tying the game at 1-1. However, McMurry quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. Sabrina Graf singled, bringing home a run, and Aliyah Tanguma walked with the bases loaded, forcing another run to score. This gave McMurry a 3-1 advantage.
The game continued to be tight, as Austin College rallied to score two runs in the top of the fourth, tying the game at 3-3. In the bottom of the fourth inning, McMurry scored a run, with Jade Dickens reaching on a fielder's choice, allowing Elaina Herrera to score and putting McMurry ahead 4-3.
Austin College took the lead in the top of the fifth, scoring two runs to make it 5-4. Emmalee Gebhart came in to relieve the starter, Rexie Sanders, and get McMurry out of the inning. McMurry fought back in the bottom of the sixth inning. Reaghan Staehely hit a 2-run double. Trista Brown scored on a wild pitch to secure a 7-5 lead for the War Hawks.
In the top of the seventh, Mackenzie McClellan took the mound for McMurry and closed the door on Austin College, securing the 7-5 victory for the War Hawks.
The McMurry War Hawks completed their weekend sweep of Austin College by winning the second game of the doubleheader 9-1.
McMurry started strong in the bottom of the first inning. Elaina Herrera singled, advanced to second due to an error, and then Mercedes Camacho doubled, driving in Herrera for the first run. Trista Brown followed up with a single, bringing Camacho home and giving McMurry an early 2-0 lead.
The War Hawks extended their lead in the second inning. After Herrera reached base on a fielder's choice and Jade Dicken singled, Trista Brown brought Herrera around to score with a double, moving Dickens over to third. Reaghan Staehely then delivered her second 2-run hit of the day, with a single, driving in Dickens and Brown, pushing McMurry ahead 5-0.
Austin College was able to scratch a run across off starter Mackenzie McClellan in the top of the third inning. However, McMurry responded in the bottom of the inning. After loading the bases, Jade Dickens reached on a fielder's choice, driving in a run and making the score 6-1 for the War Hawks.
McMurry added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Mercedes Camacho hit a 2-run home run, increasing the lead to 8-1. Morgan Mehaffey sealed the victory in the bottom of the sixth with a home run, bringing the score to its final tally of 9-1, ending the game by run rule.
McClellan pitched a complete game for McMurry, allowing only one run on five hits, striking out three, and allowing zero walks to pick up the win.
The War Hawks three-game winning streak pushes their record to 11-12 overall and 10-10 in the SCAC. McMurry's next series is April 11th at Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana, to continue conference play.
