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MARSHALL, Texas - It took them a while to show up, but the top two offenses in the American Southwest Conference took center stage as Hardin-Simmons rallied for an 8-6 win over Sul Ross State on Friday afternoon in the first round of the ASC Championship Tournament Red Bracket at Woods Field in Marshall.
Both starting pitchers were locked in early. It was scoreless through four innings before the Lobos picked up a run in the fifth when Ryan Almager hit a soft liner to center that was routine for centerfielder Cody Berryman, but Berryman slipped when he came in on the ball and it fell with two outs to allow Johnny Campos to score.
The Lobos took a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning when Phillip Russell singled to lead off the inning and HSU starter Colt Ritzel fielded a bunt by Trent Pearson and airmailed first base to allow Russell to come all the around to score.
HSU had gone hitless through five innings against Sul Ross State starter Jeremy Martinez. Caleb Jacques led off the sixth with a single to right and Taylor Cooling singled to right center to put runners on first and second. Zack de Luna then hit into a double play, but Jamie Ball picked him up with an RBI single to left to score Jacques to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Lobos scored four times in the seventh to take a 6-1 lead. Phillip Russell had a sacrifice fly to score Ely Gallego. The Cowboys appeal that Gallego left early from third was denied. Trent Pearson followed with an RBI single. Wesley Moss then hit a slow roller up the first base line that could have ended the inning, but it hit the first base bag and shot into shallow right allowing two runs to score.
HSU answered right back with five runs to tie the game in the seventh. Colton Parker led off with a double and Cody Berryman singled to left. Colton Pea**** followed with an infield RBI single and after a groundout and a Caleb Jacques walk Dustan Greer replaced Martinez. Berryman then scored on a wild pitch and Taylor Cooling had an RBI groundout and Zack de Luna followed with an RBI single. Ball walked and Colson Craddick reached on catcher's interference to lead the bases. Parker tied the game with an RBI single to the hole at shortstop.
Sul Ross put two men on with one out and the Cowboys went to Cooling, the top closer in the ASC. He got a strike out and a line out to get out of the inning.
Colton Pea**** led off with a single and moved to second when Elijah Perez put down a sac bunt and the Lobos tried to cut down Pea**** at second. Caleb Jacques had a bunt single to load the bases and Cooling drove home Pea**** with an RBI fielder's choice. Ball added an RBI single.
Cooling worked a 1-2-3 ninth to record the win and improve to 2-1 on the year. Greer took the loss in relief.
Ball, Parker, Pea****, and Jacques had two hits each for the Cowboys. Chris York, Jonathan Bigley and Russell had two hits each for SRSU.
HSU is 26-15 on the year and Sul Ross State fell to 18-23. It was the fourth time the Cowboys have defeated the Lobos this season.
The Cowboys will play the winner of East Texas Baptist and Howard Payne at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
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Both starting pitchers were locked in early. It was scoreless through four innings before the Lobos picked up a run in the fifth when Ryan Almager hit a soft liner to center that was routine for centerfielder Cody Berryman, but Berryman slipped when he came in on the ball and it fell with two outs to allow Johnny Campos to score.
The Lobos took a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning when Phillip Russell singled to lead off the inning and HSU starter Colt Ritzel fielded a bunt by Trent Pearson and airmailed first base to allow Russell to come all the around to score.
HSU had gone hitless through five innings against Sul Ross State starter Jeremy Martinez. Caleb Jacques led off the sixth with a single to right and Taylor Cooling singled to right center to put runners on first and second. Zack de Luna then hit into a double play, but Jamie Ball picked him up with an RBI single to left to score Jacques to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Lobos scored four times in the seventh to take a 6-1 lead. Phillip Russell had a sacrifice fly to score Ely Gallego. The Cowboys appeal that Gallego left early from third was denied. Trent Pearson followed with an RBI single. Wesley Moss then hit a slow roller up the first base line that could have ended the inning, but it hit the first base bag and shot into shallow right allowing two runs to score.
HSU answered right back with five runs to tie the game in the seventh. Colton Parker led off with a double and Cody Berryman singled to left. Colton Pea**** followed with an infield RBI single and after a groundout and a Caleb Jacques walk Dustan Greer replaced Martinez. Berryman then scored on a wild pitch and Taylor Cooling had an RBI groundout and Zack de Luna followed with an RBI single. Ball walked and Colson Craddick reached on catcher's interference to lead the bases. Parker tied the game with an RBI single to the hole at shortstop.
Sul Ross put two men on with one out and the Cowboys went to Cooling, the top closer in the ASC. He got a strike out and a line out to get out of the inning.
Colton Pea**** led off with a single and moved to second when Elijah Perez put down a sac bunt and the Lobos tried to cut down Pea**** at second. Caleb Jacques had a bunt single to load the bases and Cooling drove home Pea**** with an RBI fielder's choice. Ball added an RBI single.
Cooling worked a 1-2-3 ninth to record the win and improve to 2-1 on the year. Greer took the loss in relief.
Ball, Parker, Pea****, and Jacques had two hits each for the Cowboys. Chris York, Jonathan Bigley and Russell had two hits each for SRSU.
HSU is 26-15 on the year and Sul Ross State fell to 18-23. It was the fourth time the Cowboys have defeated the Lobos this season.
The Cowboys will play the winner of East Texas Baptist and Howard Payne at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
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