ABILENE, Texas – A late-rally by the McMurry University War Hawks halted the East Texas Baptist University baseball team's chances for a sweep on Saturday in Abilene, 8-5. McMurry scored six runs in the final three innings to overcome a 4-2 ETBU lead. ETBU takes the overall series after winning both games last night and is now 7-6 overall on the year.
ETBU had three-hit games from
Casey Combs and
Dylan Singletary (RBI) while
Dylan Sumpter (RBI) and
Brady Faulkner had two hits on the day.
Zachary McAdams and
Drew Large would also have RBI in the game.
John Marrs started for the Tigers with 5.1 innings allowing four runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Reliever
James Rupert would end up taking the loss with three runs on four hits in just two-thirds of the inning. McM had Mike Gonzales (two RBI) and Nick Hamel have two hits while a three-RBI game from Jordan Speck contributed to the victory. Derek Hostas (5.1 innings, four runs, nine hits, two strikeouts) started the game while reliever Hunter Brooks (1.2 innings, one run, four hits, one strikeout) earned the win. Hamel would also make the save with two innings allowing one run and striking out four.
While ETBU applied pressure in the first inning with runners in scoring position, it wasn't until the second inning that they finally managed to breakthrough with two runs in the top of the second inning. Singletary led off with a double before Large would reach on an error scoring him from second. Then Sumpter would drive in the second run with a single. Marrs would manage to hold McM down to one hit through three innings.
But McM would get two runs back in the bottom of the fifth inning to trail 3-2. After ETBU got a run back on a McAdams triple in the top of the sixth, McM grabbed the lead at 7-4 with five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Each team would score one more run as McM would reach on a fielder's choice in the seventh while ETBU would cut the lead down to 8-5 on a Singletary single in the eighth inning. ETBU would have a runner on third base in the ninth inning but the tying run would remain on deck as McM secured the win.
ETBU will hit the road on Tuesday with a rematch against Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., at 4:00 PM.