Box Score
Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team dug itself an early hole, but the Cru fought back for an 8-7 victory over McMurry University Sunday afternoon in Belton. UMHB improves to 11-11 overall and 3-3 in American Southwest Conference West Division play with the victory and the Cru also won the series 2-1. McMurry drops to 8-13 overall and 2-4 in the ASC West with the loss.
UMHB fell behind 4-0 in the first inning as McMurry scored three runs before the Cru recorded an out. Derek Saltzgaber followed a leadoff error and back-to-back hit batters with a two-run single. Jeff Jackson added an RBI single and Bradd Baker drove in the fourth run with a groundout. Kory Moench added an RBI single in the top of the third and a second run scored on a throwing error as McMurry stretched the lead to 6-0 in the top of the third inning. The Cru would cut the lead in half with a three-run fifth inning. Doak Fleming singled home the first run, Kyle Flynn added an RBI double and the final run scored on a throwing error before Flynn was thrown out at home plate to end the inning. Jake Mullin’s RBI single made it 7-3 McMurry in the top of the sixth, but UMHB put three more on the board in the bottom of the seventh to cut it to 7-6. Josh Fredrick singled home the first run and Flynn and Alfredo Melendez followed with back-to-back RBI singles. UMHB tied the game at seven when Seth Lynn scored on an error in the bottom of the eighth. Adrian Montoya pitched out of a two-on, one-out jam in the top of the ninth to set up the Cru’s heroics in the bottom of the frame. Flynn led off with an infield single. After a strikeout, Andrew White walked and both runners moved up on a passed ball. McMurry then intentionally walked Joseph Villegas to pitch to Chris Joshlin with the bases loaded and one out. Joshlin hit a sinking liner to centerfield that Michael Dibiasi grabbed with a diving catch, but Flynn beat the throw to the plate to give UMHB the victory and set off a celebration at home plate.
Montoya picked up the win for UMHB to raise his record to 1-2 on the season. Montoya gave up one hit and walked one while striking out one in two innings of relief. Chance Ryan settled down after this rocky start to scatter 10 hits over seven innings. He struck out four and allowed just four earned runs. Flynn had three hits for UMHB and Melendez, Lynn, Fredrick and Ryan Moreau added two hits apiece for the Cru. Chris Semchenko took the loss for McMurry after giving up one hit and walking two in one and a third innings of relief work. Saltzgaber had three hits for McMurry and Jackson, Moench and Matt Thompson added two hits apiece.
UMHB will now host Texas Lutheran University for a three-game ASC West Division series next weekend. The Cru and Bulldogs will open the series with a 2:00 PM single game on Friday before closing out the weekend with a 12:00 PM doubleheader on Saturday at Red Murff Field.