MARSHALL, Texas - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team split its 2022 American Southwest Conference Baseball Championship Tournament games today to advance to the blue bracket championship. Following a 10-0 loss to East Texas Baptist, the Cru bounced back with a 10-0 victory of their own over McMurry to advance to the championship round. The victory marks the first time UMHB has had multiple wins in the tournament since joining the American Southwest Conference. It also gave the Cru its first 25-win season under third-year head coach, Mike Stawski.
 
Game one against ETBU started off on a bad note and never went in favor of the Cru. Christopher Robinson got the scoring going for the Tigers in the first inning with an RBI single before Will Kelley later scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0. Later in the inning, Austin Barry sent a double down the right field line to score Robinson, making it 3-0. ETBU extended their lead on an RBI single by Kelley in the second frame followed by a couple of two-run, extra-base hits by Jase Jones and Barry. The Tigers held their 8-0 lead until the seventh inning when Kelley sent one over the wall to make it 9-0, and later completed the run-rule in the eighth inning on a wild pitch to end the game.
 
Rahul Champaneri took the loss on the mound as he threw 1.2 innings and gave up seven runs on five hits. Alex Palczewski came in relief and threw 3.1 innings allowing one run on one hit before Cameron Bogan came out of the bullpen. Bogan threw 1.2 innings and also allowed one run on one hit before Isaac Brann came in relief. Brann threw 0.2 innings and allowed one run on zero hits. Sayers Collins threw for the Tigers and got the complete game shutout, throwing eight innings while allowing just two hits.
 
UMHB was sent to the loser's bracket and faced McMurry in a 7 o'clock elimination game. Robert McCall opened up scoring in the third inning as he sent a two-run homer over the center field wall. The Crusaders broke it open in the fifth inning with a six-run outburst. RBI singles by Malek Bolin, Ryan Farmer, and Sam Muniga mixed in with a two-run double by Rhett Grosz made it 7-0 before Muniga scored on a passed ball to make it an eight-run difference. An RBI single in the seventh inning by Kaden deBerardinis followed by an RBI double by Drake Herrera made it 10-0 with three outs to play. UMHB did not allow a run in the bottom of the seventh, securing the win.
 
Nicklas Fenner started on the mound for the Cru and earned the win in a stellar outing. Fenner threw a complete game shutout and allowed just three hits while striking out five batters. Nick Hamel started for the War Hawks and took the loss. Hamel threw 4.1 innings and allowed seven runs on nine hits before he was relieved by Dylan Schafer. Schafer threw two innings and allowed three runs on three hits before Titus Ashton came out of the bullpen. Ashton threw 0.2 innings and didn't allow a run in the two hits he gave up. Grosz led the charge for the Crusaders with a 3-4 day and two-RBI in the contest.

UMHB advances to the blue bracket championship and will play tomorrow ETBU on Sunday, May 8^th at 1 p.m.  The Cru will need two wins tomorrow to advance to the gold bracket championship next weekend. UMHB also held a graduation ceremony for student-athletes missing today's graduation. Malek Bolin, Jacob Dellipoali, Caimyn Holiday, Alex Klepac, Robert McCall and Trevor Ripke were all presented diplomas by their fathers after the game.