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Southwestern University

BASEBALL RETURNS TO WINNING WAYS WITH WIN OVER HOWARD PAYNE

BASEBALL RETURNS TO WINNING WAYS WITH WIN OVER HOWARD PAYNE
Posted: Feb 09, 2010

The Pirate’s got back to winning form Tuesday in Fort Worth against Howard Payne University. Strong starting pitching by Matt Stuart, terrific team defense, and timely hitting led the charge for the Pirates.
The Pirate bats got hot early as sophomore second baseman Nate Shipp doubled down the left field line with one out in the first but was stranded at third after a ground ball and a strike out.

The third inning saw Southwestern break through for the first run of the game. First year short stop Charlie Garrett reached on an error by the Yellow Jackets’ short stop and was later driven home on a double to right center field by senior center fielder Todd Boone. Senior right fielder John Wooten drove Todd Boone in with a one out single to left field to make the score 3-0.

The Pirates ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth when the Yellow Jackets scored two runs on two hits with two walks before the Pirate infield orchestrated a 4-6-3 double play to get out of the inning with the lead intact at 3-2.

However, in the bottom half of the seventh, the Pirates were unable to hold the lead after a two out single, a stolen base, and another single. The Pirates responded in the top half of the eighth when, after a John Wooten double, senior short stop Matt Clark, in a pinch hitting role, hit a line drive down the right field line to plate Wooten. This run would be all the Pirates would need to win the game as first year reliever Brice Bender got the save by throwing a scoreless eighth and ninth.

Matt Stuart picked up his first win of the season after pitching 5.1 innings with two earned runs and six strikeouts. Bender picked up the save by striking out two in two innings and allowing just one hit. Todd Boone was the offensive leader on the day going three for five with an RBI and a run scored. John Wooten had another multi-hit game, his fourth in six games. Clark, Shipp, Glasgow, and Garrett were responsible for the remaining four hits on the day. The Pirates will continue their season on Saturday with a noon double header at ASC power Texas Lutheran beginning at noon.