Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team claimed a second straight walk-off win to open the day but could not overcome several defensive lapses in game two as the Cru settled for a doubleheader split with Hendrix College Saturday in Belton. UMHB won game one 4-3 before falling 14-9 in the second game to move to 2-2 on the season. The Warriors are now 3-2 on the year following the split.
The Cru erased a 3-2 seventh-inning deficit to win game one 4-3 on Seth Mogavero's walk-off RBI single. Robert Loewe's sacrifice fly put UMHB up 1-0 in the bottom of the first before Hendrix tied it in the top of the second. Mogavero's RBI single gave UMHB a 2-1 lead in the fifth, but Charlie St. Clair doubled home two runs to put the Warriors on top 3-2 in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the frame, Heath Spencer's two-out, pinch-hit single started the rally. Spencer came around to score on a fielding error that put Zack Whiddon on second base. Mogavero followed with a single down the third base line to plate Whiddon and give the Cru the 4-3 victory. Jordan Mattke earned the win in relief for the Cru. Mogavero and Will Stafford had two hits apiece for UMHB. Kyle Teachout took the loss for Hendrix and St. Clair finished with two of the Warriors seven hits.
The Cru could not hold an early 6-2 lead in game two as the Warriors scored seven runs in the final two innings of a 14-9 decision. UMHB took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on RBI singles from Mogavero and Drake Shukanes and Chase Burrow's sacrifice fly. Mogavero added an RBI double in the second to make it 4-0 UMHB and both teams plated two runs in the third to make it 6-2 Cru. Hendrix then tied the game with a single run in the fourth and three more in the fifth. Brandon Smith singled home the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth to put the Warriors on top 7-6. Hendrix used five hits, two walks and a UMHB error to put six on the board in the top of the eighth to take a 13-6 lead. The Cru would use Loewe's two-run single and an RBI single from Will Stafford to close the gap to 13-9 in the bottom of that inning, but the Warriors tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Mogavero and Chris Florack had three hits each for UMHB and Loewe, Burrow and Spencer added two hits apiece. Aaron Barteau took the loss for the Cru to drop to 0-1. Daniel Imbro earned the win for Hendrix, Collin Radack drove in five runs and Ryan Ritz had three hits for the Warriors.
UMHB will continue its home stand with a 4:00 PM single game against Trinity University on Tuesday. The Cru will then host U.T.-Tyler for a three-game, non-conference series next Friday and Saturday at Red Murff Field.