Baseball 4/20/2013 7:07:00 PM

Comeback Bid Falls Short as Dustdevils Drop Series Finale

Box Score LAREDO (April 20, 2013) – McMurry University held off a late TAMIU run to take the final game of the three game series 7-6 Friday afternoon at Jorge Haynes Field.

The Dustdevils trailed 7-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, but were able score four unanswered runs to pull within striking distance. TAMIU then put the go ahead run on first with only one away in the ninth, but couldn’t come through with the game winning hit.

The loss drops TAMIU’s overall record to 25-19 on the season, while their conference record remains at 18-12. The Dustdevils have dropped to fourth place in the conference standings, half a game behind Arkansas Fort Smith but remain 3.5 games up on Newman for the final playoff spot.

TAMIU (18-12) has six conference games remaining on the schedule, while the Jets (15-16) have only three. A loss by Newman in their final series against Arkansas Fort Smith or a TAMIU win in one of their final six games, is all it will take for the Dustdevils to punch their ticket to the conference tournament.

Casey Berryman and Nick Marsh each contributed RBI singles in the first to give the War Hawks a quick 2-0 lead. Berryman added another RBI in the third with a double to right-center to extend the lead to 3-0.

The Dustdevils responded with runs in third and fifth innings to pull within one run. The first came courtesy of two McMurry errors at second base. The leadoff hitter Jeff Anderson reached on an error and then advanced into scoring position with a stolen base. After moving to third on a ground out, he then came across in the second error of the frame on a ground ball by Alex Salas.

With Alvaro Rondon on first and one away in the third, two errant throws on a softly hit grounder to third by Hector Gonzalez allowed Rondon to come across.

The War Hawks then put the Dustdevils in a big hole tallying four more runs in the seventh. Reuben Zendejas plated Ricky Garcia, who led off with a single and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, on a single into right field. Relief pitcher Jared Curnel then issued back-to-back walks to load up the bases before uncorking a wild pitch allowing Zendejas to score. Pinch hitter Alex Hajduk then tallied his first hit of the season with a two-RBI single down the right field line to make it 7-2.

TAMIU kept themselves in the game picking up three more runs on the bottom half of the inning. With runners at the corners Anderson was able to score on a wild pitch before Salas and Alex McKeon came through with consecutive hits to cut the lead to 7-5.

McMurry closer Jared Hopper came into the game in the bottom of the eighth to work for the two-inning save, and worked a quick innings to hold the game at 7-5. However, in the bottom of the ninth, the Dustdevils threatened.

After Anderson singled and stole a base to open the inning, he was quickly moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored one batter later to put TAMIU within striking distance, 7-6, with one out and two runners on.

With the tying run at second-base and the winning run at first, Hopper forced McKeon to ground into a fielder's choice and Sean Smedley flied out to end the game and give the War Hawks the 7-6 win.

Dino Cristiani took the loss for TAMIU falling to 3-6 on the season, allowing five runs on eight hits with no strikeouts and a walk through 6.1 innings. Curnel went 0.2 innings in relief, giving up two runs on one hit and Baylr Bickerton pitched two scoreless innings to close the game.

For McMurry, starter Aaron Burns registered his sixth win and improved his record to 6-1 in 10 appearances against Heartland Conference opponents. The freshman went 6.2 innings of work while allowing four earned runs and nine hits. He also struck out five in the game. Hopper worked two full innings of relief allowing one earned run and two hits. He also earned his fifth save of the season.

TAMIU returns to conference action next weekend hosting top ranked St. Mary’s University in a three-game set at Jorge Haynes Field. They conclude the regular season on the road, traveling to Austin to battle St. Edward’s University.

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