The Yellow Jackets packed their bats, hopped on the road to Lincoln, and came back with a series win, taking two of three from Nebraska Wesleyan in a weekend that had a little bit of everything—steady pitching, explosive offense, and one wild shootout.
Howard Payne opened the series Friday with a 5-3 win, leaning on timely hitting and a strong showing on the mound. Nader Gulamhusein set the tone at the top of the lineup, going 3-for-5, while Ty Phillips added two hits and scored twice. Landon Prestage drove in a pair of runs and delivered a key sacrifice fly, and Joshua Lile chipped in two RBIs of his own.
On the mound, Luke Watkins worked five innings to earn the win, and Trace Garcia slammed the door with four scoreless innings, striking out five to secure the save as the Yellow Jackets held Nebraska Wesleyan to just four hits.
Game two of Saturday's doubleheader turned into a slugfest that got away early, as Nebraska Wesleyan surged to a 27-12 win. Despite the scoreline, Howard Payne showed fight throughout the game. Joshua Lile led the charge offensively, going 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs. Nader Gulamhusein reached base multiple times, scoring three runs and driving in two, while Braden Franks and Hunter Pope each recorded multi-hit games. The Yellow Jackets also drew eight walks and continued to produce offensively, even in a high-scoring contest.
With the series on the line in game three, Howard Payne responded with resilience, grinding out an 8-7 victory to secure the series. Joshua Lile delivered a huge performance, going 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs, powering the offense early. Jacob Hill added two hits in relief at first base, and Colby Chapman and Jace Mackenzie each came through with clutch extra-base hits.
After Nebraska Wesleyan rallied late to take the lead, the Yellow Jackets answered in the ninth inning. Jace Mackenzie delivered a two-run double to tie the game, and Ty Phillips followed with the go-ahead RBI single to complete the comeback.
On the mound, Brant Wilson gave Howard Payne a solid start, and the bullpen held on down the stretch. Caden Foster earned the win, and Trace Garcia picked up his second save of the series, closing out the final inning to seal the victory.
Head coach Stephen Lynn credited his team's response throughout the weekend.
"I'm really proud of how our guys competed, especially after that second game. It would've been easy to let that carry over, but they showed a lot of toughness and stayed locked in. We got big-time performances from multiple guys, and that ninth inning in the final game says a lot about who this team is."
Howard Payne now heads back home with momentum, claiming the series win behind a combination of timely hitting, depth at the plate, and clutch pitching when it mattered most.
Photo Credit- Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com
