ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' baseball team dropped a pair of one-run games falling 4-3 in nine innings in the first game and 6-5 in the nightcap against Belhaven in non-conference action at Hunter Field on Friday.
In the first game of the day the Cowboys went up against two-time All-American and reigning Division III Pitcher of the Year Brett Sanchez and rallied late to send the game to extra innings.
HSU trailed 3-0 in the sixth inning when
Cole Antonelli fell behind in the count 0-2 and he fouled off three pitches before finally drawing a walk.
Brock Calvillo followed with another lengthy at-bat as he was hit by a pitch on the ninth pitch of the at-bat.
Kyler Reed followed with an Rbi single to left and
Benji Fielder added an RBI double to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Baylan Vaughan then led off the seventh inning with a home run to tie the game. Sanchez ended his afternoon after the seventh inning and 119 pitches. HSU had a chance in the eighth inning to win the game with a runner on third but didn't get him in.
In the top of the ninth, Hayden Estes reached on a three-base throwing error and scored on a sacrifice fly on the next pitch to give the Blazers the lead they would not give up.
Grant Mitzelfelt was solid for the Cowboys as he went five innings allowing two earned runs and striking out six.
Caleb Smith was the hard-luck loser for the Cowboys as he went four innings and allowed just two hits.
Fielder led the Cowboys with two hits and Owen Abney and Jake Tyndall had two hits each for Belhavem.
Sanchez went seven innings and struck out nine, while allowing three runs on five hits. Colton Sylvester did not allow a run in two innings of relief to earn the win out of the bullpen.
The second game was shortened to seven innings after the first game of the doubleheader went to extra innings. HSU took a hard luck loss in that game as well.
Luke Kirkbride doubled to lead off the game and Calvillo followed with a single,
Baylan Vaughan added an RBI single and a third run scored on a balk in the first inning to give HSU a 3-0 lead.
Cole Fletcher had solo home run in the third inning for Belhaven and the Blazers added a run in the fourth inning on a double steal attempt with throw to third going into left field.
HSU pushed the lead to 5-2 in the fifth inning a two-run home run by
Gannon Azios. It stayed 5-2 until there were two outs in the top of the seventh inning.
Jaydon Stephens came on to close out the game for the Cowboys but hie was greeted with a grand slam home run by pinch-hitter Trey Flettrich.
Will Swift started and allowed three earned runs over four and two-third innings for BU. Luke Miller worked a scoreless inning of relief for the win and Cooper Williams worked a 1-2-3 seventh with a pair of strikeouts for a save.
Jace Martinez was outstanding in his first career start. He allowed just one earned run over five innings of work and struck out four.
Johnny Follett worked a scoreless sixth before loading the bases with two outs in the seventh. Stephens took the loss.
Vaughan had three hits for the Cowboys and Abney, Tristan Pearson and Aiden DelaCerda had two hits each for the Blazers.
HSU is now 1-4 on the early season and Belhaven improved to 2-3. The teams will close the series at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
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