The Howard Payne University Baseball Team clinched the series against the Schreiner University Mountaineers on Saturday winning 15-1, and 14-11.
Game 1
Howard Payne took a strong lead in the bottom of the second inning, scoring four runs against the Mountaineers from a throwing error allowing the first three runs to come in. A balk from the Mountaineers pitcher allowed the fourth run in.
In the fifth inning, the Mountaineers gave up three doubles, two singles, and a walk bringing in five more runs giving the Jackets a large 9-0 lead.
Schreiner was able to bring in one run during the fourth inning off of a single to right center.
Howard Payne later added two runs in the fourth, and four runs in the sixth with hits from Merek Hawthorne, Sam Lampson, Joey Villarreal, Landon Prestage, and Will Burford.
HPU’s lead on the Mountaineers was too far to catch, allowing the Jackets to take game two of the three game series. 15-1.
#25 Merek Hawthorne went 2-for-2 at the plate with two singles. Seth Bowman, Kayden Kelley, and Sam Lampson were 2-for-3 at the plate.
HPU’s pitcher Brayden Ferrie took the win (2-0) pitching 4.0 out of seven innings, striking out four and allowing one run to come in.
Game 2
Schreiner was able to add the first run of the game on the board during the top of the first inning, but the Jackets were able to act fast and tie it up soon after with help from a triple to right center by Tanner Benson, and a single by Kayden Kelley bringing Benson in to tie up the game 1-1.
With Sam Lampson getting walked, JP Zuniga Rodriguez singled to right center advancing Lampson to third. An error made by the Mountaineers allowed Lampson home, and Rodriguez to third. Carson Wert’s sacrifice fly to right field brought it Rodriguez making it a 3-1 game for the Jackets.
HPU committed two errors in the top of the third which brought in three runs for the Mountaineers.
The Jackets tied up the game 4-4 with a single from leftfielder #14 Will Burford.
The Jackets and Mountaineers kept it to a tied game, until the seventh inning when HPU was able to take the lead by plating six runs.
With a 14-6 lead by the Jackets in the ninth inning, Schreiner added five runs to the board, making it a three-run game with one out to go for the Jackets.
HPU’s pitcher Anthony Cook recorded the save, giving the HPU Yellow Jackets a three-game sweep over the Schreiner University Mountaineers.
Will Burford led the Jackets going 4-for-5 at the plate with 3 RBI. Sam Lampson also went 3-for-4.
Gary Blair took the win for the Jackets (1-0) pitching 4.0 innings with two strikeouts and one run allowed. Anthony Cook recorded the save.
The Howard Payne Yellow Jackets are now 4-2 on the season and will take on McMurry University for the first series of the Conference on Friday, February 24th, at 1:00 PM in Brownwood, Texas at Don Shepard Park.