Abram Choate, SID
ABILENE, Texas – The Howard Payne Yellow Jacket baseball team drops three games (3-4,3-6,5-16) to McMurry University in American Southwest Conference action this weekend.
Friday Nathan Love singled up the middle in the bottom of the 11th inning to break a 3-3 tie and McMurry defeated Howard Payne Friday night. HPU's Adam Garcia went the distance in the loss for the Yellow Jackets.
Garcia had McMurry hitters baffled most of the game as did McMurry starter Clint Johnston. Garcia went 10.1 innings for his first complete game of the year, he scattered 12 hits, allowed four runs (all earned) walked four and struck out five.
Stephen Derrick broke a 2-2 tie for McMurry in the sixth inning with a solo home run to right centerfield. However, HPU struck back in the top of the seventh when Luke Leftwitch hit an opposite field home run for his fifth long ball of the season.
In the bottom of the 11th, McM's Gerad Morris bunted both runners in to scoring position before Adam Garcia intentionally walked Ryan Bennett. Then Love took a 1-1 pitch and grounded it up the middle just past the middle infielders and scored Derrick for the winning run.
Saturday, Game 1 (McM 6 HPU 3)
McM's Cody Curry tossed a 4-hitter as McMurry beat the Yellow Jackets 6-3 in game one of the Saturday doubleheader.
Howard Payne scored a run in the first, fourth and seventh innings but McMurry jumped out to an early 5-1 lead through three innings and the Yellow Jackets couldn¹t overcome the deficit.
HPU left fielder Nick Loving had 2 hits and an RBI in the game for the Jackets. Colby Rowley got the loss for Howard Payne giving up three earned runs.
Saturday, Game 2 (McM 16 HPU 5)
The Yellow Jackets had no answer for the McMurry offense HPU fell to 14-22 overall and 8-10 in conference, while McMurry improved to 23-13 overall and 13-5 in league play while.
HPU's Taylor Zambreski recorded 3 hits and 3 RBI and Jason Raesz had 2 hits in the game. Logan Nelson got the loss for the Jackets giving up 7 runs on 5 hits.
The Jackets will have a non-conference contest with Trinity University in San Antonio on Tuesday before returning home to Don Shepard Park for an ASC series with the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor to closeout the regular season.
McMurry University 4, Howard Payne Univ 3 (Apr 11, 2008 at Abilene, Texas)
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Howard Payne Univ... 000 110 100 00 - 3 7 1 (14-20, 8-8)
McMurry University.. 000 201 000 01 - 4 12 4 (21-13, 11-5)
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Pitchers: Howard Payne Univ - Adam Garcia. McMurry University - Johnston; Wood(10).
Win-Wood(2-0) Loss-Adam Garcia(4-3) T-2:30 A-300
HR HPU-BB - Luke Leftwich; Nick Loving.
HR MCM - Derrick (7).
McMurry University 6, Howard Payne Univ 3 (Apr 12, 2008 at Abilene, Texas) (Game 1)
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Howard Payne Univ... 100 100 1 - 3 4 3 (14-21, 8-9)
McMurry University.. 212 010 X - 6 11 3 (22-13, 12-5)
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Pitchers: Howard Payne Univ - Colby Rowley; Chase LaPenna(2). McMurry University - Curry.
Win-Curry(8-0) Loss-Colby Rowley(2-7) T-2:56 A-300
McMurry University 16, Howard Payne Univ 5 (Apr 12, 2008 at Abilene, Texas) (Game 2)
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Howard Payne Univ... 1 00 020 020 - 5 9 1 (14-22, 8-10)
McMurry University.. (10)04 010 01X - 16 19 3 (23-13, 13-5)
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Pitchers: Howard Payne Univ - Logan Nelson; Gilbert Barrera(1); Ramiro Garza(3);
Billy Ray Cruz(7). McMurry University - Smith, Dakot; Gaona(8).
Win-Smith, Dakot(3-0) Loss-Logan Nelson(1-4) T-2:39 A-0
HR HPU-BB - Taylor Zambreski.
HR MCM - David (20); Derrick (8).
Nelson faced 7 batters in the 1st.
Garza faced 1 batter in the 7th.
Smith, Dakot faced 2 batters in the 8th.
