MARSHALL, TX - The Howard Payne University baseball team fought the East Texas Baptist Tigers tough, but dropped game one 5-3 and game two 8-0 in Marshall, Texas on Saturday. 

GAME 1 | East Texas Baptist 5, Howard Payne 3
The East Texas Baptist Tigers were too much for Howard Payne on this particular day, as the Yellow Jackets lost 5-3 on Saturday.

Brayden Ferrie (1-4) started and took the loss on the mound for Howard Payne (7-11, 3-6).

Tanner Benson led the way offensively for the Yellow Jackets, going 1-for-4 in the ballgame with a home run and an RBI. Derek Gifford put together a noteworthy performance at the plate as well, going 1-for-4 with two RBI. JP Zuniga-Rodriguez also contributed, going 2-for-2 for Howard Payne with a walk.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Yellow Jackets got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the top of the first inning. Benson put Howard Payne on the board with a one-out solo home run off S. Collins.

The Tigers then rallied to score five runs and take a 5-1 lead before the Yellow Jackets got back on the board in the fifth. John Garza came across to score the lone run of the inning for Howard Payne, which tightened the Tigers lead to 5-2.

Howard Payne kept the Tigers off the scoreboard before narrowing the gap to 5-3 in the seventh. The Yellow Jackets scored once on an RBI single off the bat of . The ballgame ended with that seventh inning rally falling short.

GAME NOTES
» Howard Payne's highest scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed one run across.
» Howard Payne pitchers faced 27 East Texas Baptist hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and six fly balls while striking out four.
» Benson led the Yellow Jackets at the plate, going 1-for-4 with a home run and an RBI.
» East Texas Baptist was led offensively by N. Chavez, who went 2-for-3 with two home runs and four RBI.
» Collins led the Tigers pitching staff, throwing six innings of two-run ball.

GAME 2 | East Texas Baptist 8, Howard Payne 0
The Howard Payne Yellow Jackets were not able to notch a run against East Texas Baptist pitcher J. Sherman in game two and were shut out 8-0 by the Tigers.

Luke Watkins (0-1) took the loss on the mound for Howard Payne (7-11, 3-6). The right-hander went one shutout inning without giving up a hit, allowing no walks and striking out one.

In the batter's box, the Yellow Jackets were paced by Derek Gifford, who went 1-for-3 on the day with a double.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Howard Payne managed zero chances with runners on third in the shutout, going a total of 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. The Yellow Jackets last got a runner on third in the sixth, when Gifford made it 90 feet away from scoring with one out.

GAME NOTES
» Howard Payne pitchers faced 27 East Texas Baptist hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and four fly balls while striking out four.
» Gifford led the Yellow Jackets at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a double.
» East Texas Baptist was led offensively by B. Wagner, who went 1-for-1 with an RBI.
» Sherman led the Tigers pitching staff, throwing six scoreless innings.

The Yellow Jackets will be back at home next weekend as they host ASC opponent LeTourneau University for a three-game series.