Cowboys Rally For Season Opening Win

Feb. 10, 2006

ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' baseball team opened its season with a ninth-inning rally over the College of the Southwest to take a 12-11 win over the Mustangs, Friday afternoon at Hunter Field.

The Cowboys led 9-3 after a six-run fourth inning, but CSW responded with five runs in the fifth to make it 9-8. CSW tied it in the sixth with a single run and then took an 11-9 lead in the top of the eighth.

HSU scored one in the bottom of the eighth, when Michael Simpson walked and moved up on a Brad Coleman single to left. Bo Vaculik drove in Simpson with a drive off the left field wall.

The Cowboys came up with two runs in the ninth. Taylor Lamar had a one-out single to right and Ryan Stepp walked. Simpson singled to right to score Lamar and Stepp moved around to third. On the next pitch Stepp scored on a wild pitch to take the win.

In the Cowboys six-run fourth Lamar led of reaching by an error and Stepp singled. After back-to-back strikeouts, Brad Coleman reached on an error when Tony Salazar's throw from shortstop pulled Jason Marin off the bag at first. Lamar scored and the Cowboys ended up with five more runs. Trevor Bunte a had a two-run single in the inning and the Mustangs had three errors.

Brian Arnold started for the Cowboys and allowed eight runs (four allowed) in five innings. Kurtis Lay won the game in relief to improve to 1-0 on the year. Neil Hayes started for CSW, but came out with an injury in the second inning, Juan Steen went six innings and struck out 10, before giving way to Joe Blevins, who allowed three hits.

Lamar, Stepp and Coleman each had two hits for the Cowboys. HSU hosts Lubbock Christian at noon on Saturday.