Cowboys Rally Past Schreiner, 12-9

March 31, 2006

KERRVILLE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' baseball pulled off a dramatic late-inning rally to defeat Schreiner University, 12-9, in the first game of a three-game American Southwest Conference series Friday afternoon in Kerrville.

The Cowboys trailed 9-2 going into the eighth inning, but scored seven runs to tie the game and then tacked on three more runs in the ninth to take the 12-9 win.

Brad Coleman led off the eighth with a two-strike single to center and moved to third on a Tre' Sellari double to right field. Taylor Gibbs then knocked in Coleman with an infield single and Sellari moved to third. Danny Ruth loaded the bases with a walk. Blake Koch hit a two-run double down the left field line. Kurtis Lay then had a pinch-hit single to score Ruth and Koch moved to third. Brian Fields pinch ran for Lay. Taylor Lamar then walked to load the bases.

Ryan Stepp then grounded out to score a run and Michael Simpson drew a walk. Coleman then had a sacrifice fly to score Fields and move Lamar to third. The Cowboys then pulled off a double steal and Lamar scored the tying run and Simpson was out in a run down to end the inning.

In the ninth, Sellari led off with a single and moved up on a Kevin Ellison sacrifice bunt. Sellari went to third on a wild pitch and Ruth singled him home. Koch then hit a double to left putting runners on second and third. Fields grounded out to knock in Ruth and Koch scored on a wild pitch.

Schreiner scored two runs in the second and third, added four in the fifth and one more in the sixth to make it 9-2.

Brian Arnold started on the mound for the Cowboys and allowed eight runs in four innings. Freshman Kyle Barton went three innings and allowed just one unearned run to keep the Cowboys in the game. Lance Johnson (4-1) worked a scoreless eighth to earn the win and Josh Alcorn pitched the ninth for his second save.

Sellari had four hits, including a triple and two doubles and scored three runs. Koch and Ruth had two hits each and both drove in two and scored two runs. Joe Mann had three hits for Schreiner and drove in three runs.

HSU improved to 15-11 overall and 6-4 in ASC West play. Schreiner fell to 5-19 and 2-8 in league play. The two teams will play a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.

--- HSU Athletics ---