Austin, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team took the defending conference champions to 11 innings only to see the game end on a bases loaded walk as the Cru fell to LeTourneau 3-2 in 11 innings in the opening round of the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament Wednesday in Austin. UMHB falls to 19-21 on the year with the loss. The YellowJackets improve to 18-15 with the victory.
The YellowJackets took a 1-0 lead on Dillon Yates' RBI single in the bottom of the first. The Cru tied the game when Will Stafford scored on an error in the top of the third. Heath Spencer's RBI single gave UMHB a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning, but the Cru left the bases loaded that frame. LeTourneau finally tied the game on Taylor Empkey's RBI single in the bottom of the seventh and neither team would score again until the bottom of the 11th. A hit batter, intentional walk and single loaded the bases with one out. After a strikeout, Bryce Henry drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to force in the game-winning run.
Cory Farr took the loss for UMHB to drop to 4-2 on the season. Kreece Cooper struck out six and scattered eight hits in nine strong innings for the Cru. Stafford had three hits and Rob Loewe and Tripp Reeves added two hits apiece for UMHB. The Cru stranded 14 base runners in the loss. Justin Jenkins threw a complete-game to improve to 6-3. Jenkins allowed 10 hits and threw 158 pitches in 11 innings. Kyle Jacobs had three hits for the YellowJackets in the game.
The Cru will now play an elimination game at 1:00 PM on Thursday against Howard Payne. LeTourneau will face U.T.-Tyler in a winner's bracket contest at 7:00 PM.