PINEVILLE, Louisiana – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team controlled the game in all three phases and rolled to an 82-0 victory over Louisiana College Saturday in Pineville. The Cru improves to 8-0 overall and 7-0 in American Southwest Conference play with the victory. The loss drops the Wildcats to 2-6 overall and 2-5 in the ASC.
UMHB grabbed a 7-0 lead just 48 seconds into the game as
Jefferson Fritz picked off an LC pass and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown.
Jase Hammack hit
Jonel Reed with a 47-yard touchdown pass on the Cru's first offensive series to stretch the lead to 14-0 and
Tommy Bowden scored on a four-yard run to make it 21-0 UMHB at the end of the first quarter.
Drake Johnson returned an interception 45 yards for another Cru touchdown, Bowden scored on a one-yard run,
Luke Poorman hit
Jo'Vel McDaniel with a 25-yard swing pass for a touchdown and
Anthony Avila kicked a 33-yard field goal to give the Cru a 44-0 halftime lead. LC's best scoring chance came on the final play of the first half, but
Jefferson Fritz blocked a Wildcat field goal try.
Avila opened the second half scoring with a 35-yard field goal. Hammack hit Reed with a nine-yard TD strike to push it to 54-0. UMHB then used rushing touchdowns from Bowden,
Justin Theriot,
Tevin Pipkin and
Justin Gipson to stretch it to the final margin. It was the first rushing touchdown of the season for Theriot, Pipkin and Gipson.
The Cru ran for 274 yards on the day and finished with 502 yards of total offense. UMHB's defense intercepted five passes and forced seven total turnovers. The Cru held the Wildcats to 56 yards rushing and 151 yards of total offense.
Hammack was 12-18 passing for 183 yards and two touchdowns. Reed caught eight passes for 133 yards and two scores and Gipson led a balanced rushing attack with 62 yards on seven carries. Bowden ran for a career-high three touchdowns.
Tevin Jones had a team-best eight total tackles and Fritz intercepted the 17
th pass of his career to move to within one pick of the UMHB and ASC career record.
The Cru will now return home to host Texas Lutheran for a 1 pm kickoff next Saturday. The winner of the game will clinch the ASC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Championships and at least a share of the conference title.
