Howard College Baseball Ends Weekend in Waco with Win Over McLennan

Hawk Baseball went head-to-head with the Highlanders of McLennan Community College for a 3-game series beginning Thursday afternoon. The weekend action ended with a 1-3 record for the Hawks against the No. 6 Highlanders.

The first pair of games ended in favor of the home team with a 3-0 final and a 10-0 final. In the series finale, the red and black pulled off a 6-3 victory to jump to a 7-7 overall record. 

Game 1

In the first game, the Hawks finished with no runs on two hits. The Highlanders had a three-run second inning that carried the offensive weight for the home team with the blue and orange finishing with three runs on four hits. 

The shortstop for the Hawks, David Hernandez had both hits for the visiting team, finishing two for three at the plate in the first game. 

Sam Distel, Andrew Lind, Ethan Guzman and Cash Bolgiano collectively contributed to the double play count for Howard College. 

Game 2

Game 2 saw another strong Highlanders offense at the plate with two runs across in the third, five in the seventh and three in the eighth, totaling 10 runs on seven hits. The Hawks finished with no runs on six hits. 

Isaiah Shivers was the biggest contributor for the red and black at the plate going three for four with a double. Distel, Austin Frye and Lincoln Schroeder also added a hit for the Hawks with Frye having the second double on the day.

Gredan Wolf (L, 2-2) got the start for the red and black with 6.0 innings on the mound, totaling seven strikeouts and giving up two runs, one earned, on four hits. 

Game 3

In the series finale, the Hawks finished with six runs on 10 hits with no errors, to the Highlanders three runs on five hits with four errors. 

The Howard College offense got to work early with the first run coming across in the opening stanza. The red and black continued to pack it on with three runs across in the second inning and another couple in the seventh. 

Hernandez and Distel each finished with two RBI to lead the bunch. Hernandez was two for four at the plate. 

Distel finished two for five at the plate with two runs scored. 

"It felt great to finish up with a win. It proved what we already knew; we are good enough to play with anyone on any given day'', commented Distel. 

Adding to the hits count for the Hawks was Frye, Shivers, Lind, Guzman, Schroeder and Colton Klapprodt.

Frye and Lind both had doubles for the red and black. Distel had the lone homer for the Hawks. 

Owen Skinner (W, 2-0) got the win for the Hawks after 7.0 innings on the bump, totaling six strikeouts and giving up one earned run on three hits.  

Ian Reid and Zac Foden also had a pair of strikeouts each, both giving up no runs and no hits with Reid going 0.2 innings and Foden going 1.0, earning his second save of the season. 

''I'm proud of our group, and the way they competed. It was good to see them have some urgency to salvage the weekend series. As a staff, we are not surprised. We take pride in our culture and toughness. When we uphold our standard and stay true to our brand, we're confident that we will compete with anyone'', stated Head Coach Trevin Sonnier. 

Up next, the Hawks will head to Grayson College for a 3-game series beginning Wednesday with a double header starting at noon and the second game at 3 p.m. Thursday's action will see the first pitch at noon.