Longview, Texas – The Jackets took one of two games on Friday afternoon, dropping game one a walk-off 7-6 and winning game two 5-4 against the LeTourneau.
Game One
HPU went up in the 1st on an RBI single by Ty McCain that plated Noah Payne.
LETU then took the lead with a 3 run 4th. Noah Payne brought the Jackets within 1 after a double in the 5th that scored Keldon Crawford.
LETU would then add 2 in the 6th to extend their lead to 5-2.
The 7th started off with a Nolyn Box single and then a one out, Keldon Crawford blast to brought HPU within one. Noah Payne then got hit by a pitch which led to a Joshua Gerig tank giving the Jackets the lead at 6-5.
LETU ended up tying the game at 6. They then went on to win on another walk-off single in the 8th.
Noah Payne was 2-3 with a double, RBI, and two runs scored. Nolyn Box added a 2-3 day with a double and one run scored. Joshua Gerig and Keldon Crawford both added a homerun and two RBIs.
Bryson Lyro got the start for the Jackets going 5.1 giving up 7 hits and 5 runs, 4 earned, while striking out 3. Seth Owen got the loss, tossing 2/3 of an inning and giving up one run.
Game Two
The second game of the doubleheader finally fell in Howard Payne's favor.
LETU struck in the 2nd on a SAC fly to go up 1-0.
HPU then started to pull away with a 5 run 4th inning. RJ Roberts singled to score Joshua Gerig and then Rylee McGee blasted a three run shot to left to make it 5-1.
LETU battled back, again, within one making the score 5-4, but the Jackets slammed the door in this match up with a 1-2-3 7th.
Rylee McGee led the Jackets at the plate in this game going 2-3 with a homerun and 3 RBIs.
Preston Newman got the win on the mound tossing 4.2 innings, giving up 6 hits and 3 runs while striking out 3. Xavier Haines slammed the door in the 9th to grab his 2nd save of the season.
The Jackets improved to 21-12 on the season, now at 14-4 in the ASC. Howard Payne will be on the road again next week in Tyler, Texas at the University of Texas at Tyler. The first pitch will on Friday night at 7:00 pm.