University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Athletics

Box Score

Abilene, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team fought back from an early deficit to take a lead into the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Cru gave up a walk-off, two-out, two-run home run in a 6-5 loss to Hardin-Simmons University Friday night in Abilene. The loss drops UMHB to 8-9 overall and 0-1 in American Southwest Conference West Division play. The Cowboys improve to 7-7 overall and 1-0 in the ASC West with the victory.

            Hardin-Simmons would take a 2-0 lead on run-scoring balk calls in both the first and second innings. UMHB battled back to tie the game at two on Seth Lynn’s RBI single and Ryan Moreau’s RBI groundout in the top of the third inning. The Cru would take the lead in the top of the seventh when Alfredo Melendez led off with a double, stole third and scored on a wild pitch. Joseph Villegas added an RBI single to make it 4-2 UMHB. The Cowboys answered with Taylor Berlin’s two-run single in the bottom of the seventh to even it at four. The Cowboys would load the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth, but David Keil got Troy Tarrant to hit into an unassisted double play to end the threat. UMHB would take a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth when Villegas led off with an infield single, moved to third on Chris Joshlin’s single and scored on Lynn’s RBI single. Keil would retire the first two hitters in the bottom of the ninth before walking pinch-hitter Courtney Harris on four pitches. Jay Hiller then blasted a 2-0 offering for a two-run home run to right field to end the game.

            Keil took the loss to drop to 1-1 on the season. Cru starting pitcher Jared Hopper scattered 10 hits over seven innings and struck out 12 while walking three. Joe Roberson (2-0) earned the win in relief for Hardin-Simmons after setting the last three batters down in order in the top of the ninth.

            Villegas and Joshlin led the Cru offense with four hits apiece. Lynn added two hits and two RBI and Moreau also had two hits for UMHB. Berlin had three hits for HSU and Hiller, Tarrant and Brian Weeks added two hits apiece for the Cowboys.