The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team grabbed an early lead but could not hold on as McMurry University stormed back for a 15-4 victory over the Cru Thursday night in Belton. The loss drops UMHB to 9-25 overall and 5-14 in American Southwest Conference play on the season. The War Hawks improve to 10-22 overall and 5-14 in the ASC with the victory.
The Cru grabbed a 3-0 first inning lead on Mason Schuh's sacrifice fly and a two-run error by McMurry. Dakota Best tripled home a run in the bottom of the second to give UMHB a 4-0 lead. The War Hawks tied the game with four runs in the top of the third inning, Payton Stokes' two-run single was the biggest hit in a five-run fourth inning as McMurry grabbed a 9-4 lead. The War Hawks added two runs in the seventh and four more in the ninth to extend the lead to the final margin.
Best was 5-5 to lead the UMHB offense and Malek Bolin added two hits. Kam Levis took the loss for the Cru to drop to 0-1 on the season. Rody Johnson allowed nine hits and three earned runs in seven innings for McMurry to raise his record to 2-1. Matthew Chalk had four hits and Jordan Speck drove in three runs for the War Hawks.
The two teams will close out the series with a 1 pm doubleheader at Red Murff Field on Friday. The Cru will then close out the regular season with a three-game conference series at Sul Ross State next weekend in Alpine.