BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team earned a 12-4 win over Southwestern University Saturday afternoon. This win improves the Cru's record to 6-3 on the season, while the Pirates fall to 0-2.
Southwestern opened the game with a three-run first inning, taking an early 3-0 lead. Cameron Talburt led off the game for the Cru with a stand-up triple, later scoring on a wild pitch to cut the Pirates' deficit to 3-1. After two scoreless innings, Jacob Newland led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run, moving the score to 3-2.
Nolan Williams answered in the bottom of the fifth, knotting the game at three with a double to left, scoring Taylor McDaniel, who reached on a hit by pitch. After back-to-back walks for Chris Perez and JC Hughes, Newland reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Williams. Perez followed, scoring on a wild pitch before Braden Fuentes doubled to left, pushing Newland and Hughes across the plate to give the Cru a 7-3 lead. Easton Cline rounded out the big inning with a double to score Fuentes, going into the sixth frame with a score of 8-3. Riley Bender added an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh, plating Talburt to extend the Cru's lead 9-3. The Pirates earned one back in the eighth, but UMHB responded with a three-run inning with singles from Williams and Hughes.
Cameron Talburt led the Cru, going three for six at the plate with a triple and two runs scored. Three Crusaders add two RBI each. Zach Hampton earned the win on the mound, going 5.1 innings, striking out six, and giving up three hits.
UMHB returns to action in Georgetown on Sunday, February 22nd, in a 12:00pm matchup to close out the three-game series against Southwestern University.
