March 15, 2006

Final Stats

ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' baseball team lost 10-7 to the national powerhouse Marietta Pioneers on a wind blown night at Hunter Field on Wednesday night.

The Cowboys overcame a one run second inning from Marietta with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Danny Ruth got on base with a walk. He then moved over to third because of a wild pitch from the Pioneers pitcher and a Taylor Gibbs single. Ruth later scored when Kelton Redpath hit into a double play.

The game blew up in the top of the fourth when Marietta put five runs on the board to gain a 6-1 advantage.

The Cowboys roared back with three of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Back-to back singles from Taylor Lamar and Ryan Stepp got the inning going. Stepp later scored when the Pioneers had a fielding error on a hit by Michael Simpson.

Brad Coleman kept the inning alive with a single of his own to knock in Simpson. Then Ruth, who has been hot from the plate as of late, tripled over the center-fielder's head. Coleman scored all the way from first base.

The three-run rally from the Cowboys did not affect Marietta as they came right back with four runs in the top of the sixth. Marietta then led in the game by a score of 10-4.

The score stayed that way all the way until the bottom of the eighth. Bo Vaculik started the inning with a walk, and later advance to second on a wild pitch. Two outs later Lamar got on a free trip to first with a walk of his own.

Stepp then hit a long home run to right field to knock in the two runs and cut the lead to three. That was the first collegiate home run for the sophomore right fielder Stepp.

The Cowboys dropped to 9-8 on the season and has a three-game series with their crosstown rival McMurry starting this Friday. The series will be hosted by McMurry at Driggers Field. Friday's game will start 7 p.m.

Meanwhile Marietta, who is ranked eighth in the nation, improves to 5-4 on the year.