Howard Payne opened its three‑game homestand against Lyon College with a tough loss on Friday but bounced back in dramatic style with a walk‑off win later that evening before falling in Saturdays finale. The Jackets showed flashes of offensive spark and timely pitching throughout the weekend.
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Game 1 — Friday afternoon
Lyon College took the opener 6–0 in a pitching battle that saw the Scots break through in the late innings. The Jackets had four hits in the contest and some key contributions at the plate even in defeat. Nader Gulamhusein and Huston Cornish each collected a base hit, while Colby Chapman and Jace MacKenzie also reached. Cornish's hustle on the bases and Chapman's extra‑base knock were among the moments where HPU competed hard despite the deficit. On the mound, Luke Watkins struck out seven and worked into the seventh, showing strong strikeout stuff in a game where the hosts fought every inning.
Game 2 — Friday night walk‑off win
Howard Payne lit up the scoreboard in dramatic fashion in the nightcap, rallying with clutch offense and finishing with a walk‑off winner. Several Jackets stood out throughout the contest. Landon Prestage powered the attack with extra‑base hits and key RBIs that kept HPU in striking distance. Strong contributions came from lineup mates who kept pressure on Lyon's pitching. The walk‑off moment electrified the home crowd, giving the Jackets a memorable 1–1 tie in the series.
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Game 3 — Saturday afternoon
In the series finale, HPU battled again but fell 10–5. Jace Mackenzie and Landon Prestage were among the leaders at the plate, with Prestage collecting two hits and an RBI and Mackenzie contributing with a pair of hits and scoring a run. Huston Cornish and Manuel Chaco each added a hit while contributing on the bases, keeping pressure on the Scots defensively.
The Jackets drew five walks and showed patience at the plate, but Lyon was able to plate multiple runs in the middle innings. Prestage drove in a run with a sixth‑inning double to pull HPU closer, and the team scratched across two more runs in the ninth, including a pinch‑hit two‑RBI double from Chaco to extend the scoring in the final frame. Despite the loss, several Yellow Jacket hitters reached safely and made quality contact all afternoon.
"We're building a foundation for the season," said head coach Stephen Lynn. "Even in the losses, I saw players competing at every at-bat and on every pitch. That walk-off win Friday shows what we're capable of when we stay focused and trust each other. We'll carry that energy forward into the next series."Â
The Jackets will return to action on Tuesday, February 24th against McMurry in Abilene.Â
