Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team grabbed the lead early and never looked back on the way to a 3-0 victory over Hardin-Simmons University Friday night in Belton. The Cru improves to 10-12 overall and 3-4 in American Southwest Conference West Division play with the victory. The loss drops the Cowboys to 14-9 overall and 4-3 in the ASC West on the season.

UMHB grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Zack Whiddon tripled home Chris Florack with the first run and then scored on Seth Mogavero's double. Mogavero's sacrifice fly scored Florack in the bottom of the third to make it 3-0 Cru. HSU would put runners on first and second in both the seventh and eighth innings, but reliever Jeremy Sapp worked out of both jams and the set the Cowboys down in order in the ninth to preserve the win.

Kreece Cooper gave up just two hits in five innings to get the win for UMHB to move to 1-2 on the season. Sapp allowed just one hit in four innings of relief work for his first save of the year. The two pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts for the Cru. Mogavero drove in two of UMHB's three runs as the Cru finished with five hits in the game. Troy Nicholson had two of the Cowboys three hits. Jordan Dotson took the loss after giving up five hits and two earned runs in eight innings of work for HSU.

The two teams will close out the series with a 1:00 PM doubleheader tomorrow at Red Murff Field. UMHB will then travel to Austin for a three-game series at Concordia Texas next Thursday and Friday.