Box Score RICHARDSON, Texas - The Howard Payne University baseball team fell behind 9-1 after four innings of play vs. #13 the University of Texas at Dallas on Friday afternoon but battled back to make it a competitive game before ultimately falling 11-8 in the first game of the ASC Baseball Conference.

Chris Byrd had himself a day at the plate, finishing with a double, two runs scored and a RBI on 2-3 hitting. Michael Nowak added two doubles, including one that blasted off the top of the centerfield wall, and Joshua Gerig had two RBI's and a walk on 2-3 hitting in the loss. 

The Jackets used the services of three pitchers during the first round matchup vs. the Comets. Jonathan George started the game on the mound and would leave in the fourth for Seth Owens. The two combined for eight strikeouts while facing a total of 45 batters. Wesley Smith turned in an impressive full inning on the mound, retiring three of the four hitters he faced.

The Comets received a record-breaking performance from Junior pitcher Jamie Andriot, who picked up his tenth victory to bring his season pitching record to 10-0. The Jackets would fall behind 9-1 after four innings behind his strong performance on the mound. Howard Payne would score their first run in the top of the third inning when Chris Byrd led off the inning with a single through the right side. After being moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Bailey Smith, Joshua Gerig singled up the middle to bring Byrd around and put the score at 3-1.

The Comets responded by loading the bases after consecutive base hit singles, an error and a hit by pitch. After surrendering three runs, George was replaced on the mound with Seth Owens and he was able to get the Jackets out of the inning by forcing a groundout. Sensing the urgency of the moment, the Yellow Jackets responded by scoring three runs in the top of the fifth to cut into the deficit, 9-4. 

It all started with Michael Nowak's double off the centerfield wall. Nowak took a 3-2 count and turned it into a rocket of a ball. Chris Byrd's double down the right field line to bring Nowak around and set HPU up for a three-run inning. Bailey Smith was hit by a pitch on the next at-bat and the stole second. Cliff Lunceford's followed with a single to the left side to score Smith and Benjamin Lewis would finish the scoring in the inning with a single to left field. After 5.5 innings, the Jackets trailed by 9-4.

The two sides exchanged a scoreless sixth inning until Cliff Lunceford led off the inning with a double down the left field line and Brett Quackenbush tripled to left center on the next at-bat to score Lunceford. Benjamin Lewis would score Quackenbush on the next at-bat with a double down the left field line, The hit forced a pitching change and the Comets were to escape the inning with a 10-6 lead.

Nowak again led off the inning with a double. This time to right center to put the Jackets into scoring position again in the top of the eighth. Kyle Winstead entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Bailey Smith and singled up the middle to give HPU runners on the corners. Ian Tyra would also check into the game at the moment and proceeded to advance to second on a wild pitch and then steal third base. He would circle the bases when Joshua Gerig poked a single up the middle but it would be the last time the Jackets would score.

The Comets would hold the Jackets bats quiet over the next inning to fight off the Howard Payne rally and pick up the 11-8 win.

The Jackets will be in action again tomorrow at 10:00 AM vs. Hardin-Simmons on the campus of the University fo texas at Dallas. If you can;t make the road trip with the team, please visit HPUSports.com for links to video, stats, audio play by play and more.