BELTON, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' baseball team split an American Southwest Conference doubleheader at Mary Hardin-Baylor losing 5-3 in the first game and winning the nightcap 7-4 on Saturday at Red Murff Field in Belton.
 
Game 1
The Cowboys scored two runs in the third inning on two-run fielder's choice and error on a Baylan Vaughan ball. The Cru answered with an RBI groundout and sacrifice fly in the third inning to tie the game.
 
Vaughan gave the Cowboys a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning with an RBI single, but the Cru received a three-run home run by Rhett Grosz in the sixth inning, proving to be the difference.
 
Six different Cowboys had one hit each. Grant Mitzelfelt took the loss on the mound allowing eight hits and five runs over six innings, while striking out six.
 
Raul Champaneri worked six innings and he allowed three runs on six hits in six innings to improve to 4-1 on the year. Nick Fenner worked a scoreless seventh for the save.
 
Game 2
Jacob Hollingsworth gave the Cowboys an early lead with an RBI single in the first and Grosz tied the game with a RBI single in the first.
 
Sam Buchkowski had an RBI double for the Cowboys in the second and Jordan Fernandez tied it with an RBI single in the second. The Cru added another run in the third on an error to take a 3-2 lead.
 
Karson Leatherwood had a solo home run in the fourth and Vaughan added a solo shot in the fifth to give the Cowboys a 4-3 lead.
 
Leatherwood added to the lead in the sixth inning with an RBI double. The Cru added a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.
 
Hollingsworth then added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth when he doubled in a run and came around to score on an error.
 
Caidon Livingston started and allowed just one earned run over four innings. Brandon Girod came in and was again stellar out of the bullpen allowing only one run over four innings.
 
He pitched into the ninth and the first two men reached and he gave way to Jaydon Stephens who came in and slammed the door with a strikeout and got a double play to end the game. Girod improved to 3-2 on the year and Stephens collected his third save.
 
Hollingsworth had five hits for the Cowboys.
 
HSU is now 11-17 on the year and 6-9 in ASC play. Mary-Hardin Baylor improved to 19-10 overall and to 11-7 in conference action.
 
The Cowboys return home to play the University of Dallas on Tuesday at 7 p.m. when there will be a pregame ceremony to honor the 40^th season of Hunter Field. That ceremony is slated for 6:45.
 
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