Cowboys split twinbill with Howard Payne

By MARK WILSON

Staff Writer

Giving up six runs on nine hits won't usually qualify a pitcher as a bona fide ticker-tape hero.

However, the standard may have been a little different than usual Saturday at Hunter Field.

Hardin-Simmons University pitcher Adam Pate held Howard Payne scoreless through three innings and prevented the Yellow Jackets from posting their second rally of the day in an 8-6 victory in the second game of their American Southwest Conference baseball doubleheader.

In the first game of the twinbill, the Yellow Jackets rallied for seven runs in the top of the seventh inning for a dramatic 18-17 triumph as the teams combined for 34 hits. HPU didn't have much trouble scoring in the ASC opener between the two teams on Friday night either, winning 10-5.

Clinging to a two-run lead in the top of the seventh of the second game Saturday, Pate mowed down Yellow Jacket power hitter Keith Abrego with a runner on second base - only the third strikeout of the game notched by the freshman lefthander.

Abrego had hit his fourth grand slam of the season Friday, and the Yellow Jackets had already scored two runs in the inning to shrink HSU's four-run lead to 8-6.

The Cowboys are now 13-13 on the season and 1-2 in conference play, while HPU is 14-11 and 2-1.

Nine pitchers worked in the first game - four Cowboys and five Yellow Jackets. Three worked in relief of HPU starter Chase Koester, including Ray Quick, who took the loss for his first loss in three decisions this season. The five HPU pitchers issued 10 bases on balls.

"The only thing on my mind was to throw strikes and let the defense do the rest," said Pate, who went the distance to level his record at 2-2, striking out three and walking two. "We didn't want to be swept.

"I think I had just a little more heart in it today. There's definitely chemistry between the two teams."

HSU coach James King noted that Friday's game was the only one in the last three years between Hardin-Simmons and Howard Payne decided by more than two runs.

"When you play Howard Payne, you never know what's going to happen," King said. "It's just a great series. It always is when we play.

"(Pate) did a great job. He's going to fight for you. He's going to battle for you. He's a battler. He threw strikes."

HPU coach Mike Kennemer was pleased that his team never gave up despite being down by margins of 9-4, 13-9 and 14-11 in the first game before striking for seven runs on four hits, two walks and an error in the top of the seventh.

"Those kind of games make coaches gray real quick," Kennemer said. "That goes to show there's a lot of character for our ballclub. We never quit. I was proud of the way we came back.

"The series was all good games. There never was a safe lead. We wanted a sweep, but we're happy with two out of three."

All seven runs in the seventh for the Yellow Jackets scored with two outs. With Quick on the mound, after Jason Rinewalt walked Josh Pirtle reached on an error and Blake Belcher had a run-scoring single.

Skip Morton's infield hit brought on HSU's Wes Martin to pitch, and Abrego singled to drive in a run. After Greg Gentry walked to load the bases, Martin hit Shane Naterman with a pitch, forcing in another run. Cullen Henicke then hit a three-run triple to right field.

The Cowboys staged a rally of their own in the bottom of the seventh, but fell short with three runs on one hit and five walks.

Todd Buchanan (2-2) walked the first hitter, and was relieved by Morton, who then walked the bases loaded. After striking out a batter, Morton walked Josh Joslin to force in a run.

Craig Copeland then singled up the middle to drive in a run, and Ray House forced in another run on a walk. That was the final run, however. Tim Arden came in with the bases still jammed, and struck out pinch hitter Rick Ballard and got James Daugherty on a fly ball to right.

House and Copeland, who went 3 for 4, had three RBI apiece for HSU. Javier Solis, Deric Neal, Joslin, and John Solis drove in two runs each for the Cowboys.

Henicke went 3 for 5 with five RBI in the first game for HPU, and Shane Naterman drove in three runs while going 2 for 4.

In the second game, HSU gained a 4-0 lead in the second inning on one error and just one hit, as Yellow Jacket starter Brandon Brown (2-2) walked three of the first four batters. John Solis had an RBI groundout, and James Daugherty added a run-scoring single to finish the game 2 for 3 with three RBI.

The Cowboys upped the margin to 5-0 in the third on an RBI groundout by Cleat Bell, scoring Clay Johnston.

HPU chipped away with one run in the fourth and fifth on RBI singles by Jason Lozano and Rinewalt, and picked up two more in the sixth on a two-run double by Abrego to make it a slim 5-4 Cowboy lead.

HSU added three in the bottom of the sixth, getting two runs on a single by Daugherty and one on a bloop hit off the bat of Jason Graham.

The Yellow Jackets' two runs in the seventh came with two outs, after Rinewalt had led off with a double. He scored on Blake Belcher's double to left, and Lozano ripped a double to the wall in right-center, plating Belcher. Pate then struck out Abrego to end the game.