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Contributed by: Dave Beyer, McMurry Sports Information Director
ABILENE, Texas - It was an eventful conclusion to the most challenging of circumstances as the McMurry University baseball team defeated the University of the Ozarks, 10-2, to complete the series sweep at Walt Driggers Field. The War Hawks - who entered the weekend needing to win all three games to earn a National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) playoff bid - accomplished their goal and qualified for the post-season for the fourth-consecutive year.
It was also a fitting send off for the team's three-players - Patrick Adams, Mike Hoffman and Ricky Lopez - playing their final game at Driggers Field. All three were honored in pre-game ceremonies.
After Friday's doubleheader sweep and needing Saturday's win to extend its season, things got off to a suspicious start for McM in the regular season finale. McMurry starter Aaron Donald (3-2) retired the first two batters he faced before a throwing error gave the Eagles their first baserunner of the day. UO's very next batter, designated hitter Patrick Clifford, jumped on a 2-2 pitch from Donald and deposited it over the left field fence to give the Eagles the 2-0 lead.
McM got that back in the bottom half of the opening inning. A leadoff single from Kevin Garza and double by Noah Clarkson put a pair of War Hawks in scoring position with none out. Ty Kirk ground out to short, as Garza scored and Clarkson moved up to third. Tyler Jenkins continued to produce with the bat, lifting a deep sacrifice fly to center that plated Clarkson to knot the game at 2-2.
A Garza sacrifice fly in the second would prove to be the game-winning RBI, but the War Hawks still had plenty more offense to come. In the third, Kirk drew a one-out walk and then Jenkins crushed a line-drive home run to right field, making it 5-2.
The blast was Jenkins' team-leading ninth round-tripper of the year. He homered in all three games versus Ozarks.
Any hopes that the Eagles may have harbored for a comeback were dashed by a five-run burst by McM in its half of the fifth. The War Hawks sent nine batters to the plate. McM had five-consecutive singles to open the inning and six hits, overall, in the frame and upped the score to the 10-2 final.
Garza was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Clarkson went 2-for-5 with two runs and one "ribbie". Jenkins finished his big afternoon with a 2-for-3 effort, with two runs scored and four RBI. Matt chalk also had a pair of RBI.
While his teammates took care of matters with the bats, Donald settled in after the rocky first and did not permit any more runs in his 6.0 inning stint. Donald allowed four of UO's seven hits and the two unearned runs.
Jenkins - who more than did his share with the bat - took the mound and earned the first save of his career, by tossing the final three innings of the game. Jenkins allowed three hits and struck out two, without yielding a walk.
In the Ozarks series, McMurry's offense scored 31 runs (10.3 r.p.g.) and collected 39 hits (13.3 h.p.g.), while amassing eight doubles and seven home runs.
Details for the upcoming NCCAA Central Region Tournament are expected to be released next week.
More...
ABILENE, Texas - It was an eventful conclusion to the most challenging of circumstances as the McMurry University baseball team defeated the University of the Ozarks, 10-2, to complete the series sweep at Walt Driggers Field. The War Hawks - who entered the weekend needing to win all three games to earn a National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) playoff bid - accomplished their goal and qualified for the post-season for the fourth-consecutive year.
It was also a fitting send off for the team's three-players - Patrick Adams, Mike Hoffman and Ricky Lopez - playing their final game at Driggers Field. All three were honored in pre-game ceremonies.
After Friday's doubleheader sweep and needing Saturday's win to extend its season, things got off to a suspicious start for McM in the regular season finale. McMurry starter Aaron Donald (3-2) retired the first two batters he faced before a throwing error gave the Eagles their first baserunner of the day. UO's very next batter, designated hitter Patrick Clifford, jumped on a 2-2 pitch from Donald and deposited it over the left field fence to give the Eagles the 2-0 lead.
McM got that back in the bottom half of the opening inning. A leadoff single from Kevin Garza and double by Noah Clarkson put a pair of War Hawks in scoring position with none out. Ty Kirk ground out to short, as Garza scored and Clarkson moved up to third. Tyler Jenkins continued to produce with the bat, lifting a deep sacrifice fly to center that plated Clarkson to knot the game at 2-2.
A Garza sacrifice fly in the second would prove to be the game-winning RBI, but the War Hawks still had plenty more offense to come. In the third, Kirk drew a one-out walk and then Jenkins crushed a line-drive home run to right field, making it 5-2.
The blast was Jenkins' team-leading ninth round-tripper of the year. He homered in all three games versus Ozarks.
Any hopes that the Eagles may have harbored for a comeback were dashed by a five-run burst by McM in its half of the fifth. The War Hawks sent nine batters to the plate. McM had five-consecutive singles to open the inning and six hits, overall, in the frame and upped the score to the 10-2 final.
Garza was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Clarkson went 2-for-5 with two runs and one "ribbie". Jenkins finished his big afternoon with a 2-for-3 effort, with two runs scored and four RBI. Matt chalk also had a pair of RBI.
While his teammates took care of matters with the bats, Donald settled in after the rocky first and did not permit any more runs in his 6.0 inning stint. Donald allowed four of UO's seven hits and the two unearned runs.
Jenkins - who more than did his share with the bat - took the mound and earned the first save of his career, by tossing the final three innings of the game. Jenkins allowed three hits and struck out two, without yielding a walk.
In the Ozarks series, McMurry's offense scored 31 runs (10.3 r.p.g.) and collected 39 hits (13.3 h.p.g.), while amassing eight doubles and seven home runs.
Details for the upcoming NCCAA Central Region Tournament are expected to be released next week.
More...