ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' baseball team pounded out eight extra-base hits in a 9-2 win over Schreiner in its first non-conference action of the year.

Luke Kirkbride put the Cowboys on the board in the first inning when he led off the bottom of the inning with a home run. Isaiah Hernandez tied the game in the first with a solo home run of his own for Schreiner.

Sam Buchkowski led off the second inning with a long home run to left and Kirkbride added an RBI double in the inning to push the lead to 3-1. Gerardo Cardoza cut the deficit to 3-2 in the third inning.

HSU added four runs in the fifth inning. Tristan Laughlin had an RBI single for his first career RBI, Weston Hickman had an RBI fielder's choice Brayden Martin added an RBI single and Kirkbride had a sacrifice fly.

Buchkowski had an RBI double in the sixth and came around to score on a wild pitch.

Ballew and Buchkowski each had three hits and Kirkbride drove in three runs. Cardazo and Hernandez had two hits each for the Mountaineers.

Ballew also got his first start of his career on the mound and earned the win scattering five hits and allowing two runs in five innings of work. The Cowboys bullpen worked four scoreless innings allowing just two hits and one walk. Kolten Kitchens worked two innings, Jaydon Stephens the eighth and Alex Carte the ninth. 

HSU is now 6-7 on the year and Schreiner fell to 6-5. HSU will be in action this weekend against Southwestern.

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