The Howard Payne Yellow Jackets won game one of the three game series against the Schreiner University Mountaineers on Friday, 4-3.
It was a scoreless game until the bottom of the third inning. With bases loaded, Carson Wert grounded into a double play but brought in Kayden Kelley making it a 1-0 lead for the Jackets.
In the fifth inning, the Mountaineers were able to take the lead by one run.
HPU acted quick by tying up the game in the bottom of the fifth from a single by Carson Wert.
In the seventh inning, Schreiner added one more run to the board giving them the lead over the Jackets, 3-2.
Kayden Kelley started off the seventh inning with a single to left field, Sam Lampson walked, and Carson Wert was able to beat the throw at first. With bases loaded and two outs, Tanner Benson singled to right center allowing two runs to score, giving HPU the lead 4-3 with two innings left in the game.
With Schreiner being unable to score, HPU takes game one of the series, also handing the Mountaineers their first loss of the season.
Kayden Kelley led the Jackets at the plate going 3-for-4 with two singles and a double. Carson Wert, and Will Burford were both 2-for-4 at the plate.
Brenden Read was the starting pitcher, pitching 5.0 innings with three strikeouts, and only allowing two runs. Bryant Chambers relieved Read and took the win (1-0), pitching 3.0 innings, with two strikeouts, and only allowing one run. Nick Richards got the save for the Jackets pitching 1.0 inning, with no runs allowed and one strikeout.
The Howard Payne Yellow Jackets will take on Schreiner University for the remaining two games of the series on Saturday, February 18th at 12:00 and 3:00 PM in Brownwood, Texas at Don Shepard Park.