Todd Boone
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
On a cloudless afternoon in Georgetown, Southwestern University out hit Howard Payne University but could not capture the win, falling 8-5.
HPU posted one run in the top of the first and SU matched it on a single by junior right-fielder John Wooten down the left-field line that drove in junior center-fielder Todd Boone. The Pirates scored again in the second inning after Boone’s RBI single drove in freshman leftfielder Cray Betts to take the lead 2-1.
Howard Payne put two more runs on the board on a Shaffer double to deep right-centerfield to drive in Hammontree. Isom followed with a single to bring in Shaffer and move the Yellow Jackets into the lead, 3-2.
Southwestern opened up the bottom of the third with a double to left field by senior catcher Michael Murphy. Sophomore designated hitter Kyle Belski followed with a walk and after a caught foul ball to deep right field, Murphy advanced to third. A walk to senior first-baseman Matt Gruetzner loaded the bases for Betts. Betts struck out swinging on a slider to end the threat.
The Yellow Jackets added to their lead by posting two runs in the fourth and three in the fifth. Southwestern mounted a comeback in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of three walks and one hit by pitch in addition to a lead off single by Betts to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Murphy brought in Betts.
After walks to Belski and Wooten brought in another run and reloaded the bases, senior third-baseman Mark Noggle hit a shot to left field that hung in the air long enough to keep it from going out of the park and allowed HPU’s Zambreski to get under and make the catch to end the inning. The damage had been done, though, and the Pirates had cut the lead to four, 8-4.
The Pirates scored again in the bottom of the seventh to cut the Yellow Jackets lead to three after a single by junior shortstop Matt Clark drove in sophomore catcher Nick Ashford who singled earlier in the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth the Pirates made a push for the lead by loading the bases with two singles by sophomore pinch hitter Chris Lowry and Betts. Junior second-baseman Nate Shipp walked to load the bases for Murphy. Murphy flew out to first to end the game.
The winning pitcher for the Yellow Jackets was Henson with the save by Climer. The losing pitcher for the Pirates was freshman Truman Hunt.
Southwestern falls to 4-4 with the loss. They will take on Hardin-Simmons University on Saturday in Georgetown for a double header beginning at 2:00.
