KERRVILLE, Texas - The Howard Payne University baseball team scored late to tie Schreiner University but fell in the end 6-3 in HPU's season opener Friday afternoon on the road.
The Yellow Jackets would out hit the Mountaineers 11-6 in the game but two fielding errors in the 8th led to three Schreiner runs eventually giving them the 6-3 final.
After Schreiner gained the lead 3-2 in the sixth, the Jackets got their opportunity in the seventh loading the bases with two outs. A Schreiner wild pitch allowed
David Groves to score from third having reached earlier on an error by the first baseman.
Howard Payne got its 2-1 advantage in the third on an RBI groundout by
Joshua Gerig to plate
Bailey Smith and then a
Blake Null RBI single to center field scored
Noah Payne.
Blake Null finished 2-for-4 at the plate in his debut as a Jacket.
Noah Payne,
Joshua Gerig,
Jay Holland, David Groves and
Bailey Smith each recorded a hit for the Jackets.
Jonathan George went 4.0 innings in the start for HPU allowing just one run on five hits.
Joshua O'Conner saw 3.0 innings of middle relief allowing two runs on three hits and striking out one.
Matthew Parks got the loss in relief going just one inning and allowing three runs on three hits and striking out two.
The Jackets and Mountaineers will complete their weekend series with a double header on Saturday starting at 12:00 noon. You can follow Jacket baseball on Twitter @HPUhardball.
