Belton, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team used Will Stafford's walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to post a 3-2 victory over East Texas Baptist University Thursday night in Belton. The Cru improves to 21-10 overall and 16-9 in American Southwest Conference play with the victory. UMHB has also already matched last season's win total with nine regular season games remaining. The loss drops the Tigers to 13-19 overall and 10-15 in ASC play on the year.
ETBU grabbed a 1-0 lead when Matt Sullivan led off the game with a triple and scored on a passed ball in the top of the first. The Cru tied the game on Rob Loewe's RBI single in the bottom of the third inning. The Tigers retook the lead on Tyler Bates' RBI single in the top of the sixth. UMHB would answer with Zack Whiddon's RBI single in the bottom of that frame to tie it 2-2. The Cru would get the go-ahead run to third base with one out in the bottom of the seventh but could not push across a run. ETBU also advanced the go-ahead runner to third in the top of the eighth before UMHB got out of the jam. Whiddon led off the bottom of the ninth with a single and advanced to second on a Tripp Reeves sacrifice fly. Heath Spencer's groundout sent Whiddon to third and Stafford roped a single right back up the middle to score Whiddon with the game-winner and set off a Cru celebration.
Aaron Barteau pitched a perfect ninth inning for UMHB to get the win and raise his record to 5-0. Ian Ekery pitched eight innings of five-hit ball for the Cru. Whiddon had two of UMHB's seven hits in the game. Jordan Wilkerson took the loss for ETBU to drop to 2-4. He gave up just two earned runs on seven hits in eight and two-thirds innings of work. Sullivan had two of the Tigers' five hits in the loss.
The two teams will close out the series with a 1:00 PM doubleheader on Friday at Red Murff Field. UMHB will then host Trinity University for the final non-conference game of the year next Tuesday, April 22nd, at 7:00 PM.