SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team held strong in the NCAA Division III Football Second Round Saturday in San Antonio, earning a 24-17 win over Trinity University. The win advances the Cru to the quarterfinal round of the 2022 bracket while the Tigers end their season at 11-1.
 
Trinity opened the game with a 61-yard kickoff return to put the Tigers on the Cru 38-yardline. UMHB's defense held on that drive, allowing the Tigers just eight total yards. The Cru defense held the Tigers to just seven yards on their next offensive possession and kept the shutout through the first quarter. UMHB took a lead with 3:49 left in the first quarter when K.J. Miller caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Kyle King. UMHB held the Tigers to just 16 offensive yards in the first quarter on 16 total plays.
 
UMHB extended the lead to 10 with a 31-yard field goal at the 11:13 mark in the second quarter. Both teams drove but neither was able to score again, keeping the 10-0 Cru advantage through the first half. UMHB totaled 107 yards on 23 plays in the second quarter with 91 yards in the air.
 
Matthew Jackson returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the third quarter but the play was called back on a holding call. Jamaal Hamilton kept momentum for the Cru with a 60-yard touchdown grab just 27 seconds into the quarter. Trinity responded with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Tucker Horn to Cole Monago to cut the deficit. Brandon Jordan responded with another third-quarter score for the Cru, catching a 45-yard pass from King. Trinity tacked on a 23-yard field goal late in the quarter to keep the two-score swing.
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UMHB went for it on fourth-and-nine to open the fourth quarter but fell short, giving Trinity the ball at their own 46-yardline. Tucker Horn completed three passes on four plays in that drive to pull the Tigers within one score. Trinity continued to drive in the quarter, but big defensive plays by the Cru squelched their scoring opportunities. Omari Frazier and Sante Parker, Jr. teamed up for a strip sack and fumble recovery with 9:16 left in the game to stall the Tigers. Trinity got the ball back with 6:01 left in the fourth quarter and drove all the way down for a first-and-ten at the UMHB 25-yardline. Tristan Green dropped the quarterback for a 14-yard loss on first down before Horn threw an incomplete pass on second-and-24. Dorian Pittman sealed the win for the Cru with a three-yard sack on third down to secure the Cru's quarterfinal berth.
 
King completed 19 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns in the contest. UMHB totaled 366 yards in the game with 77 on the ground and 289 in the air. Brandon Jordan led the Cru with 139 yards on six receptions while Jamaal Hamilton added five grabs for 94 yards.
 
Defense held the Tigers to 315 yards in the game with 282 in the air. Omari Frazier led the Cru with 11 tackles, adding 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble. Durand Hill added 10 drops with 0.5 tackles for loss while Tommy Bowden and Johnny Smith-Rider each added nine tackles. Tristan Green added 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks while Sante Parker, Jr. added a tackle for loss, 0.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. UMHB totaled eight tackles for loss and six sacks against the Tigers.
 
The Cru advances to the NCAA Third Round on Saturday, December 3^rd. UMHB will face the winner of Linfield University and Bethel University with the location to be announced on Sunday, November 27^th. More information on that game will be available at www.cruathletics.com.