McMurry Falls In 1st Game Of ASC Baseball Tourney
By: Dave Beyer, McMurry Sports Information
Updated: May 4, 2012
AUSTIN, Texas - In last week's first round series of the American Southwest Conference baseball championships, McMurry University used good pitching to get a pair of wins. However, in Friday's opener of the double-elimination bracket ASC finals, the War Hawks had the tables turned on them in a 1-0 loss to Mississippi College.
Not that McM starter Spencer Smith (6-4) was bad; he wasn't. On most days, Smith's effort more-than-likely would have resulted in a win. The junior righthander notched his team-leading fifth complete game of the season and allowed one earned run in the second inning. He allowed four hits, struck out two and walked five, avoiding trouble in every inning but the second.
After striking out the first batter, Smith issued a walk and two base hits in the second frame, resulting in the only exercise the scoreboard operator's finger would get in the game.
McMurry's best opportunity came in what has, over the course of the season, proven to be the team's most productive inning: the first. With two out, Matt Thompson singled through the right side of the infield. That was followed by a hit up the middle from leftfielder Andrew Bell, with Thompson stopping at second. Designated hitter Aaron Warren was the next batter and grounded to shortstop for the force out at second on the fielder's choice.
In the top of the fourth, Bell led off the inning with a single, but was quickly picked off as the War Hawks' next three batters went down in order.
On the day, McM was retired in order by the Choctaws' Scott Trousdale (4-4) five times (in the second, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth). Trousdale scattered four hits, struck out four and walked just one. No War Hawks were able to get into scoring position after the first inning versus the senior lefty.
On the day, Bell chimed in with a 2-for-4 day. Thompson was 1-for-4 and Warren 1-for-3 as the only McMurry players to collect hits.
The loss drops McMurry into the loser's bracket. The War Hawks will try to battle back on Saturday at 1 p.m. versus the loser of the UT-Tyler/Concordia-Texas game.
Not that McM starter Spencer Smith (6-4) was bad; he wasn't. On most days, Smith's effort more-than-likely would have resulted in a win. The junior righthander notched his team-leading fifth complete game of the season and allowed one earned run in the second inning. He allowed four hits, struck out two and walked five, avoiding trouble in every inning but the second.
After striking out the first batter, Smith issued a walk and two base hits in the second frame, resulting in the only exercise the scoreboard operator's finger would get in the game.
McMurry's best opportunity came in what has, over the course of the season, proven to be the team's most productive inning: the first. With two out, Matt Thompson singled through the right side of the infield. That was followed by a hit up the middle from leftfielder Andrew Bell, with Thompson stopping at second. Designated hitter Aaron Warren was the next batter and grounded to shortstop for the force out at second on the fielder's choice.
In the top of the fourth, Bell led off the inning with a single, but was quickly picked off as the War Hawks' next three batters went down in order.
On the day, McM was retired in order by the Choctaws' Scott Trousdale (4-4) five times (in the second, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth). Trousdale scattered four hits, struck out four and walked just one. No War Hawks were able to get into scoring position after the first inning versus the senior lefty.
On the day, Bell chimed in with a 2-for-4 day. Thompson was 1-for-4 and Warren 1-for-3 as the only McMurry players to collect hits.
The loss drops McMurry into the loser's bracket. The War Hawks will try to battle back on Saturday at 1 p.m. versus the loser of the UT-Tyler/Concordia-Texas game.
