Jackets Fall Short Against TLU

Lauren LaBlue, Sports Information Intern

BROWNWOOD, Texas – The Howard Payne Yellow Jackets drop a hard fought game 7-8 against Texas Lutheran University Friday at Don Shepard Park. 

Howard Payne had a strong first inning. After a one, two, three defensive outing the Jackets put up 5 hits and 3 runs. Kyle Lloyd started off the inning with a triple followed by a SAC fly by Jordon Hammontree. 
Taylor Zambreski, Blake Shaffer, Garrett Isom, and Royce Rodriquez all put up base hits. 

TLU knocked out 3 hits on top of an HPU error scoring 3 to tie the game in the top of the third. Lloyd drew a walk in the fourth; eventually scoring off Zambreski's double to right to take back the lead. Zambreski stole third and scored on a passed ball making it 5-3 going into the fourth inning. 

After a scoreless fifth and sixth TLU tied up the game once more and then jumped ahead by 2 in the top of eighth. The Jackets pounded out 2 hits and forced TLU into an error allowing them to even out the score to 7-7. With 1 out in the top of the ninth, Clay Childress hit a go ahead homerun for the Bulldogs. Howard Payne failed to answer back and drops the first game of their series 7-8 to Texas Lutheran. 

Howard Payne's Zambreski and Rodriquez both were 3-5 on the day with 1 RBI. Hammontree also had a good day at the plate going 2-4 with 3 RBI. The Bulldogs were led by Ryan Nokelby going 4-5 with 2 RBI. 

Mark Cumpian got the loss for Howard Payne now 11-11 overall and 4-3 in ASC play. Jeremy Macklin recorded the win for Texas Lutheran improving their record to 15-9 overall and 4-3 in ASC play. 

The Yellow Jackets will finish out their TLU series tomorrow at 1:00pm and 3:00pm at Don Shepard Park.
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