ABILENE, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team was unable to hold on after a valiant come-from-behind effort in game one of Saturday's doubleheader and couldn't come back, dropping game two. UMHB lost the first game 8-7 and fell short, 3-1, in the second game. The Crusaders fall to 3-3 overall and 3-3 in American Southwest Conference play and McMurry improves to 4-5 overall and 2-4 in ASC play.
 
UMHB opened up scoring in the top of the first inning of game one with a sacrifice fly by Malek Bolin that scored Caimyn Holiday. The War Hawks were able to respond in the bottom half of the first inning on an RBI single to make the game 1-1. In the bottom of the second inning, McMurry was able to extend their lead on a two RBI double making it a 3-1 ballgame. The War Hawks continued scoring in the third after two players each had RBI singles to make the game 5-1. McMurry scored again in the fourth inning with an RBI double to make the game 6-1. Mary Hardin-Baylor was able to chip a couple of runs away in the top of the fifth inning from an RBI single by Kaden Deberardinis and an RBI double by Caimyn Holiday to cut the War Hawk lead to three. In the top of the sixth inning, a wild pitch allowed Rhett Grosz to score from third and a balk by the pitcher gave Ryan Farmer the free run to make the game 6-5. Later in that inning, Drake Herrera was able to log his first hit as a Crusader with an RBI double that scored the tying run. Just one batter later, Holiday was able to get Herrera across with an RBI infield single to give the Cru the 7-6 lead. Nick Hamel of the War Hawks was able to tie the game at seven in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single. In the bottom of the last inning, McMurry was able to score on a fielder's choice to give the War Hawks their first conference victory. Rahul Champaneri started on the mound throwing three innings giving up five runs on seven hits. Trevor Ripke surrendered the loss for the Cru dropping him to 1-1 on the season. Holiday led the Crusaders with four hits and two RBIs. Marty Carnahan started on the mound for McMurry and Nick Hamel came in relief, earning the win. Hodges led the charge for the War Hawks with three hits.
 
In game two of the double-header, the Cru were able to score first in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Deberardinis that scored Farmer. That would end the scoring for the day for UMHB. McMurry was able to take the lead in the bottom of the third inning on a two RBI single, making the score 2-1. Scoring would stop until the bottom of the seventh inning where the War Hawks were able to scratch an insurance run off of an RBI single, giving McMurry a 3-1 lead and victory. Nicklas Fenner started on the bump for UMHB and pitched six innings giving up just two runs on 4 hits and striking out nine hitters. Fenner would take the loss, dropping him to 1-1 on the season. Trevor Ripke came in relief, giving up just one run off of two hits in two innings pitched. Hunter Jones led the Cru with two hits on the game. Jonathan Enriquez started on the mound for the War Hawks going six innings allowing just one run off of four hits and earned his first win of the season moving him to 1-2. Braxton Briones came in relief for the last three innings earning the nine out save while just allowing one hit. Dylan Abbott and Logan Mercer led the way for the Warhawks with two hits each.
 
The UMHB Baseball team will continue their season next weekend in a non-conference home series against Texas Lutheran University. The first game of the series is on Friday, February 25th at 6 P.M. in Belton.