PINEVILLE, LA - The Howard Payne University baseball team ended its three games conference series at Louisiana College with an 8-2 loss Saturday afternoon.

It was a five-run fourth inning by Louisiana College sparked by two Howard Payne errors that proved to be the difference in the game. The Yellow Jackets would go on to commit six total errors in the game.

Howard Payne took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Nolyn Box singled to left center field to score Derek Gifford.

After the five-run fourth for the Wildcats, HPU added its second run in the top of the fifth when Noah Coronado singled and then Carson Wert scored on a throwing error by the Wildcats.

For the game, Rylee McGee, Nolyn Box, and Carson Wert each recorded two hits for the Jackets. 

Kyle Purdes (0-2) recorded the loss in the start for HPU. Purdes went 5.2 innings allowing seven runs on nine hits and striking out six. Ty Garner, Johnny Cravey, and Harlee Biggs each saw time in relief for HPU.

Howard Payne is now 4-13 overall and 1-11 in American Southwest Conference play. LC stands at 16-3 overall and 12-0 in league play. The Yellow Jackets will play next on April 1-2 in a conference weekend series at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas.