March 1, 2005

Final Stats

ABILENE, Texas - Michael Simpson hit two home runs and drove in four runs as Hardin-Simmons defeated Wayland Baptist, 8-6, Tuesday night in nonconference baseball action at Hunter Field in Abilene.

Wayland jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a run in the first on a Jacob Palomarez single to right. Trey Roberson homered in the second. HSU responded in the bottom of the second with a Michael Simpson solo home run. Back-to-back doubles in the third by Jorge Rubio and Palomarez scored a run and Palomarez eventually scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-1.

The Cowboys took advantage of the wind in the fifth when with two outs Barry Janisse singled and then Justin Wilson popped a ball to left that was pushed in by the wind and he got on with a single and Janisse scored. Wilson then stole second and Michael Popino walked. Simpson then delivered his second home run of the game a three-run shot to right center, giving the Cowboys a 5-4 lead.

In the sixth the Cowboys added two more runs when Elliot Strader led off with a single to left and Brad Coleman doubled to right to knock him in. Scott Drake then singled to score Coleman. Chasen DeLeon had an RBI single to make it 7-5 in the seventh and Joseph Covarrubias homered in the eighth to make it 7-6.

Popino gave the Cowboys an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth.

Kyle Tabor was solid in relief for the Cowboys to pick up the win. He went four and two-thirds innings allowing only three hits, one run and he struck out six to improve to 2-0 on the year. Kurtis Lay pitched the final two innings for his first save. Brian Hewitt fell to 0-1 with the loss. He allowed seven runs in five innings.

Michael Simpson was 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two home runs. Strader, Drake, Janisse and Wilson all had two hits for the Cowboys. HSU improved to 5-2 on the year and Wayland Baptist fell to 8-7. HSU plays a three-game set at Ozarks this weekend.