War Hawks Advance to ASC Finals; Eliminate UT-Dallas
By: McMurry Athletics
Updated: April 29, 2012
RICHARDSON, Texas - For the
second-consecutive season, McMurry University has sent the American
Southwest Conference East Division No. 1 seed the heave-ho, eliminating
UT-Dallas in the best-of-three series, 2 games to 1.
After winning Friday's series opener, the War Hawks (20-22) entered Saturday with the upper hand. In the first game of the day, the Comets evened the series with a 7-0 victory to force a deciding third game, which the War Hawks won, 3-2, to advance to next weekend's ASC Championship finals.
In game one, UTD jumped on McMurry starter Caleb Gonzales (3-4) for five earned runs in the third innings, which would be more than enough for the Comets. McMurry batters managed just four singles in the game and the defense committed three errors.
Faced with the do-or-die game three, McM head coach handed the ball to Casey Berryman for just his second career start. Berryman allowed just three hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings of work, departing with a 3-0 lead.
Reliever Derek Patterson got the final out of the seventh. However, in the eighth inning Patterson got one out, walked a batter then allowed a two-run homer. McM head coach John Byington called on Charlie Hejny to restore order.
Hejny not only got the final out of the eighth, but closed out the ninth as well for his fifth save of the year.
The top of the War Hawks' lineup was devastating to the Comets, collecting nine of the team's 12 hits in the game. Nick Marsh, Dylan De Leon and Matt Thompson each had two hits in the Nos. 1-3 slots. Andrew Bell was 3-for-3 batting clean-up.
Marcellous Biggins was 2-for-4 in the 8-hole.
Marsh, Bell and Aaron Warren all had RBI for the War Hawks.
McMurry pitcher Spencer Smith, who tossed a nine-inning shutout on Friday evening, was named as the series "Most Outstanding Player."
After winning Friday's series opener, the War Hawks (20-22) entered Saturday with the upper hand. In the first game of the day, the Comets evened the series with a 7-0 victory to force a deciding third game, which the War Hawks won, 3-2, to advance to next weekend's ASC Championship finals.
In game one, UTD jumped on McMurry starter Caleb Gonzales (3-4) for five earned runs in the third innings, which would be more than enough for the Comets. McMurry batters managed just four singles in the game and the defense committed three errors.
Faced with the do-or-die game three, McM head coach handed the ball to Casey Berryman for just his second career start. Berryman allowed just three hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings of work, departing with a 3-0 lead.
Reliever Derek Patterson got the final out of the seventh. However, in the eighth inning Patterson got one out, walked a batter then allowed a two-run homer. McM head coach John Byington called on Charlie Hejny to restore order.
Hejny not only got the final out of the eighth, but closed out the ninth as well for his fifth save of the year.
The top of the War Hawks' lineup was devastating to the Comets, collecting nine of the team's 12 hits in the game. Nick Marsh, Dylan De Leon and Matt Thompson each had two hits in the Nos. 1-3 slots. Andrew Bell was 3-for-3 batting clean-up.
Marcellous Biggins was 2-for-4 in the 8-hole.
Marsh, Bell and Aaron Warren all had RBI for the War Hawks.
McMurry pitcher Spencer Smith, who tossed a nine-inning shutout on Friday evening, was named as the series "Most Outstanding Player."
