UMHB Takes Two From 'Roo Baseball

BELTON, Texas - The Austin College baseball team fell twice on Saturdy in a non-conference doubleheader at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, dropping an 8-7 extra inning game to open the day before the Cru handed the 'Roos a 7-3 game two defeat. The 'Roos are 0-3 to open the season.

Jake Trapani drove home the first two runs of the game for Austin College, first with an RBI in the opening frame and then again in the top of the third to make it 2-0, and Tino Ramirez added an RBI single in the fourth to put the 'Roos ahead 3-0. The Crusaders got two runs back in the bottom of the inning to cut it to 3-2, but Greg Smith drove in a pair of runs with a single and Brandon Hill added an RBI double to make it 6-2 in favor of Austin College.

UMHB tacked on two runs in the fifth to pull to within two, and then tied things up in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run homer by Kaden deBerardinis to force extra innings. Ryan Padfield singled home a run to put Austin College ahead in the top of the eighth, but the Cru would get two runs in the bottom of the inning, with deBarardinis driving in the winning run to make it an 8-7 final. RayShawn Riley went 3-for-4 to pace the 'Roos offensively, with Hill, Ramirez, and Asher Thompson each adding a pair of hits.

Game two was scoreless until the top of the third, when Riley singled home two runs to put the 'Roos on top 2-0. UMHB got one run back in the bottom half of the inning, but Riley knocked in another run in the fifth to put Austin College ahead 3-1. However, the Cru brought six runs across in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 7-3 game, and Austin College was unable to get a final-inning comeback going in the seventh.

Riley finished 1-for-3 with three RBI and Mason Woodhouse had a pair of hits to lead Austin College at the dish, while Trapani absorbed the loss after surrendering four runs, including three earned, on six hits in 5.0 innings of action.