BELTON, Texas  — Hardin-Simmons' football team put up a valiant effort but No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor rallied for a 45-32 win in American Southwest Conference action at Tiger Field in Belton on Saturday afternoon.

The Cowboys took the opening drive and went 75 yards in 12 plays and Logan Turner found Corey Jones for a 17-yard touchdown.

The Cru took the lead with a pair of touchdowns. LiDarral Bailey scored on a 12-yard run with 1:54 to play in the first quarter and Elijah Hudson had a 6-yard run touchdown run with 11:02 to play in the first half.

Scott Newberry nailed a career-best 50-yard field goal with 9:33 to play in the half to make it 14-10. UMHB appeared to score right before the half, but offsetting personal fouls took the touchdown off the board and then UMHB had to settle for a Chad Peevey field goal that was wide left.  

UMHB took the opening possession of the second half and went 75 yards in three plays for a Darius Wilson 6-yard touchdown. Hudson had the big play a 58-yard screen pass. HSU responded by going 62 yards in five plays. Turner hit Jessie Ramos on a 35-yard touchdown and the PAT was blocked to make it 21-16 with 8:51 to play in the third quarter.

HSU then forced a three-and-out but Turner was picked off on the second play of the next drive by Mike Maldanado. UMHB scored three plays later on a 43-yard touchdown run by Bailey.

The Cowboys came back and added a 27-yard field goal from Newberry and then after another UMHB punt, HSU went 55 yards in three plays as Turner hit Trei Lewis for a 54-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-26 with :49 to play in the third quarter.

UMHB answered with a 37-yard Peevey field goal and then HSU went 75 yards in four plays and Turner hit Simpson from 36 yards out for his fourth touchdown of the game. It gave HSU its first second-half lead against UMHB since 2004.

HSU forced a quick punt, but UMHB's Brodrick Crain picked off Turner on a deflected pass and the Cru answered with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Bailey to Jon Ross to make it 39-32. Javicz Jones then intercepted Turner on the next possession. Peevey buried a 42-yard field goal to give the Cru a 42-32 lead with 3:02 to play.

Jones picked off Turner on the next possession and Peevey hit a 27-yard field goal to seal the game and make it 11 straight wins in the series for UMHB.

Turner completed 29-of-58 passes for 470 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions. Corey Jones had eight catches for 160 yards and a touchdown and Lewis had six catches for 106 yards. Chad Laughlin led the defense with 14 tackles.

UMHB had 553 yards of offense and the Cowboys had 496 yards of offense in the shootout.

Bailey threw for 250 yards and a touchdown and ran for 172 yard and two scores in his final career game against the Cowboys. Jones had 14 tackles and two interceptions. 

The Cowboys are now 4-3 on the year and 3-1 in ASC play. UMHB improved to 7-0 and 6-0 in ASC play.