Contributed by Chad Grubbs, HSU Director of Athletic Communications
ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' baseball team pushed its winning streak to nine straight games with a 13-6 American Southwest Conference win over East Texas Baptist on a chilly Friday night at Hunter Field.
The teams were scoreless until HSU put up two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Jamie Ball led off the inning with a double and scored on a Colson Craddick triple. Anthony Beasley followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.
ETBU answered with two runs in the top of the fifth with a two-run single by Tyler Bates. HSU scored a run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Zack de Luna.
HSU busted the game open in the sixth with a two-out RBI single by Cody Berryman and after a hit by pitch and a walk Taylor Cooling cleared the bases with a two-out double to make it 7-2.
ETBU scored twice in the seventh and eighth innings but HSU answered with three runs both times. Bates had an RBI single in the seventh and Dynas Doud had a bases loaded walk. Craddick, Berryman and Jacques had RBI singles in the inning.
In the eighth, Jaxon Rader had a sacrifice fly and Bates had another RBI single for ETBU and HSU scored on an RBI single by Beasley and an RBI double by Berryman. It was the third-straight at-bat for Berryman to pick up a two-out RBI.
Jeremy Hallmark was solid for the Cowboys as he left after six-plus innings. He allowed four runs on seven hits to improve to 3-1. Mike Richardson and Garrett Reed finished off the seventh. Reed came on with the bases loaded and recorded back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the inning. He struck out four. Kyle Barnett worked a 1-2-3 ninth.
Ernest Perez fell to 6-1 on the year allowing seven runs on 11 hits in six innings. Jimmy Russo and Grant Adams each allowed three runs in an inning of relief each.
Craddick had five hits for the Cowboys and scored four times. Beasley and Berryman each had three hits. Bakes had three hits and drove in four for ETBU.
The Cowboys are now 11-6 on the year and 5-2 in ASC play. ETBU fell to 12-7 overall and 3-4 in league play. The teams will play a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.
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