April 5, 2008

Final Stats

BROWNWOOD, Texas - Going into Saturday's doubleheader with Howard Payne, Hardin-Simmons' baseball team did not have a complete game from a starter all season, but the Cowboys received two on Saturday and the Cowboys swept a critical American Southwest Conference doubleheader 6-1 and 9-2 Saturday afternoon at Don Shephard Park in Brownwood.

Senior righthander Nathan Copeland continued his strong effort on the mound with a complete-game three-hitter in the opening game. He improved to 2-2 with the win. He struck out six and did not allow a hit after the first two batters of the game singled, until the seventh inning.

Sophomore Tim Kriegel was just as good for the Cowboys in the nightcap. He went the distance, scattering nine hits and allowing only one earned run. He struck out an HSU season high 10 batters in the game.

HSU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning of the first game when the Cowboys scored on a two-error by HPU shortstop Cale Thompson. HSU made it 4-0 in the third inning when James Gage and Wayne Pimpton singled and Regan Dixon pummeled a long home run to the left centerfield gap.

Howard Payne scored their lone run in the third inning on three walks and a pair of wild pitches. HSU added two insurance runs in the fifth on back-to-back RBI singles with two outs by R.C. Waters and Ryan Stepp.

Dixon had three hits, Tre' Sellari, Stepp and Pimpton each had two hits as the Cowboys pounded out 13 hits.

In the nightcap, the Cowboys wasted no time jumping in front with five runs in the top of the first inning. Stepp led off with a double, Kyle Post singled and James Gage moved them over with a sacrifice bunt. Pimpton was hit by a pitch and Dixon had a two-run double to right center. On the very next pitch Tre' Sellari crushed a long home-run to left to make it 5-0.

HPU scored a single run in the first when Chris Pucci was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and scored on a Jose Sierra double. Sellari had a RBI single in the third to make it 6-1. HPU responded with an unearned run in the third.

HSU made it 9-2 in the top of the fourth. HSU scored a run on an error, a bases loaded hit by pitch to Copeland and long solo home run by Kyle Post. Neither team scored after that, as Kriegel was dominant down the stretch, striking out six batters in the final three innings.

Waters had a career-best three hits, Sellari had two hits and four RBIs, Post had two hits and Dixon concluded a big weekend with two more hits.

HSU improved to 17-14 overall and 8-7 in ASC play. Howard Payne fell to 14-17 overall and 8-7 in conference play. The two teams are tied with Concordia and Texas Lutheran for third place in the league standings. HSU will play at Austin College on Tuesday.

--- HSU ---