BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor fell to Whittier College 13-10 Wednesday afternoon in Belton. The Cru fell to 13-2 on the season while the Poets improved to 6-9 overall.

The Poets were first to score on an RBI single in the top of the second inning. UMHB responded in the bottom of the frame with three runs to take a 3-1 lead. A Carson Riley single to left field drove in Riley Bender and Weston Dean before a Cameron Talburt walk scored Riley. 

Whittier used an explosive third inning to go back ahead 7-3. The Cru cut the gap back to two on a two-run homerun from Bender in the bottom of the frame. The Poets continued to widen their cushion adding four more runs in the fourth inning. UMHB chipped away again with a two-RBI single from Rhett Grosz to score Kaden deBerardinis and Blake Gonzalez. 

The Poets added their 12th run on an error in the fifth. The Cru responded in the sixth with a Grosz single to score Cameron Talburt before Bender added his second homerun in the bottom of the seventh to cut the gap 12-9. Whittier added one more insurance run with a homerun in the eighth before going three-up, three-down in the top of the ninth inning. 

Bender recorded his third homer in the bottom of the ninth, tying the program record for homeruns in a game and cutting the gap to three. UMHB tried to rally back but could not overcome the deficit, falling 13-10. 

Seven Crusaders made mound appearances, led by Nicklas Fenner who threw for the final two innings with two strikeouts and no runs allowed. UMHB recorded 16 hits, led by Bender with four hits and four RBI. 

UMHB returns to action Friday, March 15th in a 6:00 p.m. contest against McMurry University.