BROWNWOOD, Texas - The Howard Payne University pitching staff struggled to find the zone in a 27-8 loss to the University of Texas at Dallas Friday afternoon at Don Shepard Park.

The Yellow Jackets pitching staff walked 10 batters as a group allowing 27 runs on 22 hits. 

UT Dallas jumped out to an early 3-0 after two at bats. But the Jackets did respond in the bottom of the second scoring three runs to tie the game 3-3.

A Stephen Prewitt single to left field scored Jonathan McKay, then a Gage Keate walk with the bases loaded plated Rylee McGee. After that it was a Derek Gifford sacrifice fly to center field that brought in Carson Wert.

From that point, it would be a seven-run third and 13-run sixth for UT Dallas that put the game out of reach for the Yellow Jackets.

HPU added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings and a three-run ninth to round out the HPU eight runs in the game.

A Nolyn Box single to center in the fifth plating David Paleo and Stephen Prewitt homered to left in the sixth. David Berzins singled up the middle in the ninth to score Jared Pollock and then a Matthew Garcia single through the left side scored Berzins and Noah Coronado.

Stephen Prewitt was the only Yellow Jacket to recorded multiple hits. He was 2-for-3 with two RBI on the day. 

Bryant Chambers recorded the loss in the start for HPU going 3.1 innings. HPU used seven other pitchers in the game. Kyle Purdes followed Chambers going 2.2 innings and struckout four.

The two teams will play a double header on Saturday starting at 12:00 noon to finish out their weekend series at Don Shepard Park.