BROWNWOOD, Texas- The Howard Payne University baseball team dropped its final game of the season 12-9 to Louisiana College Saturday afternoon at Don Shepard Park. Seven seniors were honored before the game.
 
Louisiana College jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the HPU bats answered starting with a Cliff Lunceford single up the middle. After a Cliff Lunceford stolen base, a Joshua Gerig walk and a Blake Null hit by pitch, senior outfielder Ben Lewis got the Jackets on the board with a two RBI double scoring Lunceford and Null. Null then advanced home on a wild pitch making the score 3-2 after one inning.
 
The scoring would continue for both teams as the Wildcats would bring two more runs across in the top of the second taking a 5-3 lead.

Senior outfielder Jay Holland led off the bottom of the inning with a walk and advanced to second base on a steal. Blake Null would get a bases loaded one RBI walk scoring Jay Holland. Cliff Lunceford come around to score on a wild pitch. David Groves singled up the middle scoring Joshua Gerig, followed by a Jacob Rodriguez two RBI single scoring Groves and Null.
 
Neither team would score from that point until the top of the fifth when LC was able to get one run across, and two more runs across in the top of the sixth tying the game 8-8. LC would get one more run in the top of the eighth, but HPU had an answer when Joshua Gerig scored on a throwing error making it 9-9 heading into the ninth.

LC went on to put up three runs in the top of the inning. Howard Payne did not have an answer, giving LC the 12-9 final.
 
Cliff Lunceford finished 5-5 at the plate with two runs scored. Benjamin Lewis and Jacob Rodriguez each recorded two hits and two RBIs. Jay Holland, Joshua Gerig, David Groves, and Bailey Smith each recorded a hit. Blake Null and David Groves each had one RBI.
 
Senior right hander Dylan Vilaros got the start for the Yellow Jackets on senior day pitching 4.1 innings striking out nine batters, while allowing six runs on nine hits. Senior reliever Shawn Brody had 2.1 innings of work giving up two runs on five hits. Senior Jonathan George had 1.0 innings of relief allowing one run on one hit. Evan Rodriguez (1-3) recorded the loss for HPU allowing three runs on two hits in 1.0 innings of work.
 
Howard Payne finishes the season with a 21-19 overall record and a 9-15 record in ASC play. The HPU seniors were recognized before the game. Jay Holland, Bailey Smith, Wesley Smith, Benjamin Lewis, Dylan Vilaros, Shawn Brody and Jonathan George were the seven honorees.