The Howard Payne Yellow Jackets fought back from a four-run deficit for a 7-6, 10-inning victory over the University of Dallas Friday afternoon at Don Shepard Park in the first of a three-game non-conference baseball series.
Knotted at 6 in the bottom of the 10th, Carson Wert was hit by a pitch to start the frame then Jonathan McKay reached on a bunt single. With runners on first and second and no outs, Joey Villarreal singled up the middle to plate Wert with the winning run.
Howard Payne (2-7) trailed Dallas (1-4) by a 6-4 count heading to the bottom of the ninth inning where Nolyn Box singled with one out, then Rylee McGee launched a two-out, two-run home run to force extra innings.
The Yellow Jackets’ largest deficit was 5-1 heading to the bottom of the sixth inning, where Howard Payne struck for three runs to close the gap to 5-4. Box and Derek Gifford drew walks to start the frame then McGee followed with an RBI single to close the gap to 5-2. Later, McKay’s two-RBI single knocked in McGee and David Paleo, who reached on an error.
Howard Payne finished with 11 hits – three each by McGee and McKay, who also combined for five RBIs; two by Villarreal; and one each from Box, Paleo and Trevor Fletcher.
On the mound, Chandler Paul, Ty Garner, Dean Evans, Johnny Cravey and Cody Leal combined to allow four earned runs on 10 hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.
Games 2 and 3 of the series begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at Don Shepard Park.