RICHARDSON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team gave up three early home runs and could not recover in an 8-1 loss to UT Dallas Friday afternoon in Richardson. The loss drops the Cru to 7-9 overall and 1-6 in American Southwest Conference play on the season. The Comets improve to 9-5 overall and 7-3 in conference play with the victory.
 
The game was a scoreless pitcher's duel into the bottom of the fourth inning before Daniel Zamora blasted a grand slam to give the Comets a 4-0 lead. UTD added a sol home run in the bottom of the fifth to stretch the lead to 5-0. The Cru left a couple of runners on base in the top of the sixth and the Comets hit another solo shot in the bottom of the frame to make it a 6-0 game. Mateo Calle's RBI single in the top of the eighth put UMHB on the board, but the Cru also had a runner thrown out at the plate on the same play to end the rally. UTD added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth to push the lead back out to 8-1. UMHB was unable to close the gap in the top of the ninth.
 
Jeb Zolman took the loss on the mound for the Cru to drop to 1-3 despite giving up just five hits and striking out six in six innings of work. Blake Birdwell threw eight strong innings for UTD to get the win and improve to on the season.
 
The two teams will close out the series with a noon doubleheader on Saturday in Richardson. UMHB will then open a four-game home stand with a non-conference game against Southwestern University next Tuesday.