BELTON, Texas - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team earned a run-rule win against the University of St. Thomas (TX) Tuesday evening. The win improves the Cru's record to 6-3, while the Celts fall to 6-6.
St. Thomas got two runs across in the top of the first inning but the Cru responded in the bottom of the frame, evening the contest at two.
Carson Hagan scored on a stolen base after a Celts error before
Riley Bender hit in
Alejandro Sanchez III with a sacrifice fly. The Celts added two more runs in the second off a two-RBI home run from Alex Trinh for a 4-2 lead.
Carson Hagan responded for UMHB, slamming a three-run home run over the left field wall with two outs in the inning to put the Cru on top 5-4. The Cru tacked on two more runs in the third with back-to-back RBI doubles to the left field wall, scoring
Riley Bender and
Shane Melick for a 7-4 lead.
Alejandro Sanchez III followed that with a home run to left field, followed by a two-RBI double from Melick, who came around to score later on an error, for an 11-4 margin. The Cru added two more runs off a
Cameron Talburt at-bat and an error, finishing the fourth inning with two more UMHB runs for a 13-4 lead after four.
Betts and Sanchez came around to score in the bottom of the fifth, reaching home off RBI from
Exavier Mendez. After three scoreless innings, the Celts found the scoreboard again with a three-run home run from Sam Lampson to cut the gap down to eight. The Celts had another runner at second but UMHB turned a double play to eliminate the threat on the next at-bat and secured the third out to get out of the frame.
Hagan added another run in the sixth, earning a walk before advancing on a wild pitch, passed ball and a balk for a run.
Cole Morkovsky made his first appearance of the season in the eighth, pitching out of a jam to keep the 16-7 score.
Nolan Williams sealed the win for the Cru in the bottom of that frame, slamming an RBI triple to right field, scoring
Jesse Hemmerling for the 17-7 run-rule victory.
Shane Melick went 3-5 on the night, adding two doubles, three RBI, and two runs scored.
Tyler Betts followed, also going 3-5 at the plate with a double and one run scored.
Carson Hagan and
Alejandro Sanchez III both tallied a homerun each in the contest.
UMHB returns to action on Wednesday, March 12
th in a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Texas Lutheran University at Red Murff Field in Belton.