ABILENE – The Brownwood Lions split their first two games at the Abilene baseball tournament Thursday, defeating Sweetwater, 7-5, before falling to Crandall, 4-1, in contests played at Cooper High School.

In the victory over Sweetwater (3-7-1), the Lions jumped out to a 6-1 lead then held off a late charge.

Brownwood chalked up eight hits – three by Xadrian Mares, who drove in a run; two by Owen Huntsinger, who knocked in a run; and one each by Reece Bolton, Taylor Bessent and Gavin Brandstetter, who picked up an RBI. Kris Hobbs also plated a runner.

On the mound, Brandstetter and Byron Foster combined to allow four earned runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts and one walk. The Brownwood defense committed just one error.

In the loss to Crandall, the Lions left the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, where they scored their lone run. Brownwood recorded 10 hits and drew a pair of walks, but left nine runners on base for the game.

Bolton and Hobbs led the way with two hits apiece, Brandstetter, Huntsinger, Foster, Trynten Slaughter, Hunter Day and Cole Miller chipped in one hit each. Brandstetter collected the only RBI.

Crandall (3-8) scored three runs in the top of the third inning and added another in the fifth.

Lions pitcher Atticus Porter and Foster combined to yield four runs – one earned – on four hits with six strikeouts and a pair of walks.

Brownwood (5-3) is back in action Friday at 10 a.m. against Abilene Wylie and 12:30 p.m. against Midland at Abilene High.