Special to the Herald
TYLER – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team broke open a close game with an eight-run third inning and the Cru held off a late UT–-Tyler comeback in a 12-7 victory over the Patriots Saturday night in Tyler.
UT–Tyler took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, but the Cru (3-1) answered with a four-run bottom of the second. Ryan Moreau opened the scoring with an RBI groundout and Kyle Flynn added an RBI single. Andrew White then doubled home two more runs to make it 4-1 Cru.
UMHB erupted for an eight-run inning when Josh Fredrick doubled home the first run of the third and scored on Seth Lynn’s single. Charles Oddo added a two-run single and White and Fredrick sandwiched sacrifice flies around Marshall Coots’ two-run triple made it a 12-3 UMHB lead.
UMHB outfielder Joseph Villegas had two hits to become the Cru’s career leader with 210.
Earlier in the day, UMHB could not hold on to a late lead and the Cru lost an 8-7 to UT–Dallas
The Cru grabbed a 1-0 lead on Fredrick’s RBI single in the top of the first inning. But, UTD answered with a four-run bottom of the first inning. The Cru tied the game at four when Doak Fleming doubled home a run and scored on Andrew White’s RBI fielder’s choice in the top of the sixth.
UMHB then used a three-run seventh to take a 7-5 lead. Chris Joshlin’s solo homer started the scoring and White added a two-run single. The Comets fought back to tie the game at seven with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
The Cru return home for the 2010 home opener Tuesday. UMHB will host Trinity University at 2 p.m. at Murff Field.
