CLARKSVILLE, Ark. – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team earned an 8-2 over University of the Ozarks Saturday afternoon in Belton. The win improved the Cru to 22-13 on the season while the Eagles fell to 15-20.
Andrew Acierni opened the game with a perfect inning on the mound. UMHB took a lead in the bottom of that frame, scoring
Rhett Grosz on an RBI single from
Jayden Chatman. UMHB held the one-run lead until the fourth inning when Jake Dempsey doubled to score Nicholas Bennett to even the contest at one.
The Cru responded with a five-run fifth inning to take a significant lead on the Eagles.
Jordan Fernandez hit in
Easton Cline with an RBI single before
Drake Herrera scored both Fernandez and
Elijah Rodriguez with a two-RBI single.
Tyler Betts scored Herrera with an RBI single to center before scoring on a passed ball, giving the Cru a 6-1 lead after five.
Ozarks added one more sixth-inning score before UMHB put up two more runs on a bases-loaded walk from Herrera and an RBI single from
Carson Hagan. The Cru held the Eagles scoreless for the duration, sealing the 8-2 win.
"Today we had 10 hits as team and that was awesome," senior
Rhett Grosz said. "It takes the pressure off of one guy and allows everyone to just free themselves up. Whenever we have guys in in the lineup getting hits ... that gives everyone in the lineup more confidence."
Rhett Grosz and
Jayden Chatman both recorded two hits for the Cru as UMHB totaled 10 hits in the contest. The Cru scored eight runs, led by
Easton Cline and
Elijah Rodriguez with two each.
Drake Herrera was the team leader in RBI with three.
The Cru threw seven total pitchers in the contest with
Keegan Symons earning the win. Acierni, Symons, Hutton, Bogan and Semmelmann all threw shutout frames while
Bryce Farlander and
Nicklas Fenner each gave up just one run.
UMHB returns to action on Tuesday, April 23
rd in a 6 p.m. contest against Trinity University Texas at Red Murff Field in Belton.
