Howard Payne opened its final regular season series on the road Wednesday night, falling 12-8 to East Texas Baptist in Marshall, Texas, but not without flashes of offensive firepower that kept the game within reach deep into the night.

The Yellow Jackets found life at the plate with timely extra-base hits and aggressive base running, finishing with eight runs on 10 hits.

Joshua Lile delivered one of the loudest swings of the night, launching a home run while also reaching base in multiple ways. Colby Chapman matched that power surge with a home run of his own, helping spark the middle of the lineup.

Skyler Fields provided an early push with an RBI single, while Huston Cornish chipped in with a key hit to help manufacture runs in the early innings.

On the basepaths, Howard Payne stayed active, forcing pressure situations and capitalizing on opportunities to keep innings alive.

Despite the loss, the offensive production showed resilience against a strong East Texas Baptist squad that entered the series with momentum.

Head Coach Stephen Lynn pointed to that fight as a key takeaway moving forward.

Stephen Lynn said, "I liked the way we competed at the plate tonight. We didn't back down and kept putting pressure on them. As we head into the rest of this series, it's about tightening things up and finishing the opportunities we create."

Howard Payne will look to bounce back as the four-game series continues, with three more chances to close out the regular season on a high note.