ABILENE, Texas - McMurry
University's baseball team extended its winning streak to nine games
with an American Southwest Conference West Division doubleheader sweep
of Sul Ross State University, 2-1 and 10-2.
The War Hawks got back to the .500 level with the sweep of the Lobos, improving to 11-11 overall. McMurry also took over sole possession of the top spot in the ASC West at 6-0 in the division.
In game one, Zach Matthys pitched the first four innings of the scheduled seven inning contest for McMurry to earn the win. Matthys (3-2) was cruising along, striking out three and walking one. Then, in the bottom of the fourth, a 57 minute lightning delay prompted McM head coach John Byington to bring in reliever Charlie Hejney when play resumed.
Hejney was masterful during his three-inning stint in relief of Matthys. Hejney allowed just one hit and struck out two, without walk, in earning his first save of the season.
Sul Ross State scored its lone run in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Chris Rubio that drove in Zach Hopson.
McMurry, which had scored a total of 12 runs in the first innings of its last four games, had to wait a bit before breaking through in game one. Left fielder Jarryl Carley led off the third inning with an infield single. The next batter, catcher Zack Hagan, doubled to left-centerfield to plate Carley and knot matters at 1-1.
The War Hawks scored what would prove to be the winning run - as well as last run of the game for either team - in the bottom of the fourth.
Dylan De Leon led off the inning with a single to right and - after the weather delay - moved to second on a groundout by Matt Thompson. Designated hitter Connor Griffith then drove a 1-1 fastball to centerfield for a double that sent DeLeon home with what would become the winning run, after Hejney shut down the Lobos the rest of the way.
Kory Moench went 2-for-2 and DeLeon 2-for-3 in the game.
In game two, McMurry reverted to its recent high-scoring tactics in the 10-2 victory. The War Hawks banged out 16 hits - including three doubles and a triple - in the game. McM scored two in the second and four in the fourth to go ahead 6-0. After SRSU rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, McMurry matched that in their half of the inning and added solo runs in the sixth and eighth, for the 10-2 final score.
The War Hawks' Nos. 3-7 spots in the batting order accounted for 13 of the teams hits and all had multi-hit games. DeLeon was 4-for-5 in the three slot, followed by Thompson (2-for-3), Griffith (2-for-3), Andrew Bell (3-for-5) and Hagan (2-for-3).
Leadoff man Ruben Zendejas also had a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Bell and Hagan each had a pair of RBI, as did senior second baseman Marcellous Biggins with a pair of sacrifice flies.
McM starter Jacob Dentoni went five innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs. Relievers Derek Patterson and Tyler Finchum each threw two innings of scoreless relief, apiece.
In the twinbill, DeLeon went 6-for-8 with two runs and one RBI.
The War Hawks got back to the .500 level with the sweep of the Lobos, improving to 11-11 overall. McMurry also took over sole possession of the top spot in the ASC West at 6-0 in the division.
In game one, Zach Matthys pitched the first four innings of the scheduled seven inning contest for McMurry to earn the win. Matthys (3-2) was cruising along, striking out three and walking one. Then, in the bottom of the fourth, a 57 minute lightning delay prompted McM head coach John Byington to bring in reliever Charlie Hejney when play resumed.
Hejney was masterful during his three-inning stint in relief of Matthys. Hejney allowed just one hit and struck out two, without walk, in earning his first save of the season.
Sul Ross State scored its lone run in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Chris Rubio that drove in Zach Hopson.
McMurry, which had scored a total of 12 runs in the first innings of its last four games, had to wait a bit before breaking through in game one. Left fielder Jarryl Carley led off the third inning with an infield single. The next batter, catcher Zack Hagan, doubled to left-centerfield to plate Carley and knot matters at 1-1.
The War Hawks scored what would prove to be the winning run - as well as last run of the game for either team - in the bottom of the fourth.
Dylan De Leon led off the inning with a single to right and - after the weather delay - moved to second on a groundout by Matt Thompson. Designated hitter Connor Griffith then drove a 1-1 fastball to centerfield for a double that sent DeLeon home with what would become the winning run, after Hejney shut down the Lobos the rest of the way.
Kory Moench went 2-for-2 and DeLeon 2-for-3 in the game.
In game two, McMurry reverted to its recent high-scoring tactics in the 10-2 victory. The War Hawks banged out 16 hits - including three doubles and a triple - in the game. McM scored two in the second and four in the fourth to go ahead 6-0. After SRSU rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, McMurry matched that in their half of the inning and added solo runs in the sixth and eighth, for the 10-2 final score.
The War Hawks' Nos. 3-7 spots in the batting order accounted for 13 of the teams hits and all had multi-hit games. DeLeon was 4-for-5 in the three slot, followed by Thompson (2-for-3), Griffith (2-for-3), Andrew Bell (3-for-5) and Hagan (2-for-3).
Leadoff man Ruben Zendejas also had a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Bell and Hagan each had a pair of RBI, as did senior second baseman Marcellous Biggins with a pair of sacrifice flies.
McM starter Jacob Dentoni went five innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs. Relievers Derek Patterson and Tyler Finchum each threw two innings of scoreless relief, apiece.
In the twinbill, DeLeon went 6-for-8 with two runs and one RBI.
