HOUSTON, TEXAS – On the verge of breaking through the win column, McMurry University's three-run ninth-inning outburst had head coach Josh Lee's team in the catbird seat Saturday, Feb. 18.

A four-hit game from sophomore first baseman Nolan Scherencel (Arlington, Texas) and two hits for sophomore third baseman Dylan Abbott (San Angelo, Texas) each had an RBI among their game twos against the University of St. Thomas at Houston Christian University's field. Abbott rapped a run-scoring single in the big ninth-inning charge, along with freshman catcher Michael Smosna (Lubbock, Texas) sending in another tally. Unfortunately, the host Celts had designs of their own for a weekend series sweep, countering with a walk-off grand slam after a run-scoring single to turn away the War Hawks 6-5.

The final day of the set between the two sides opened with more solid pitching from UST. A combined nine-strikeout, five-hit effort buoyed by an offense that drilled three home runs sent the Maroon, Black, and White to a 5-0 defeat.

Despite the problematic weekend results that sent Lee's crew to 0-6, there were silver linings. Freshman pitcher Cooper Marshall (Boerne, Texas) and sophomore outfielder Koy Carpenter (La Vernia, Texas) were two of those instances. Marshall fired a dandy start in Saturday's second contest with four Ks, and only one earned run on four hits allowed over six frames. Carpenter pushed a personal hit streak to three with four hits over the three match-ups, including a double and two stolen bases.

McMurry looks to brush off its season-opening struggles by moving into American Southwest Conference play Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24 and 25, at Howard Payne University.