Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team fought back to send the game to extra innings, but a costly fielding error allowed the game-winning runs to score as the Cru fell to Texas Lutheran 4-2 in 12 innings Friday night in Belton. The loss snaps UMHB's four-game winning streak and moves the Cru to 7-8 overall and 0-1 in American Southwest Conference West Division play. TLU improves to 12-5 overall and 1-0 in the ASC West with the victory.
The Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first. Derek Kanas grounded out to get the first run home and Ryan Hill added a two-out, RBI double. It would stay that way into the seventh before UMHB rallied. Robert Loewe singled home the first run and Zack Whiddon added an RBI single to tie it, but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit to a double. Loewe's two-out single put the potential game-winning run on in the bottom of the ninth, but the Cru was unable to score. TLU opened the top of the 12th with back-to-back singles, after a pop out, a passed ball moved the runners over to second and third. UMHB then intentionally walked Tony Gennusa to load the bases. Aaron Barteau came in to get a strikeout, but a two-out fielding error allowed two runs to score to give the Bulldogs a 4-2 lead. Drake Shukanes walked to lead off the bottom of the frame, but TLU closer Sean Kistler used a strikeout and double play to end the game and nail down his seventh save.
Sam VanHoozer took the loss for the Cru after giving up two unearned runs in five innings of four-hit relief. Conner Capdau picked up the win for TLU to move to 2-0 on the year. Whiddon and Loewe had two hits apiece for UMHB. Klaus Bohrmann led the Bulldogs with three hits and Hill added two. The Cru committed four errors and all four TLU runs were unearned in the game.
The two teams will close out the series with a 1:00 PM doubleheader on Saturday at Red Murff Field. UMHB will then travel to Brownwood for a three-game series at Howard Payne next weekend.