Box Score

TYLER, Texas – A tough sixth inning proved to be the difference as No. 20 UT-Tyler took the first game of a best-of-three series with McMurry at Irwin field Friday night 5-1. McMurry was thrown out on the base paths twice in the sixth after collecting two hits and two walks before UT-Tyler scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning to break a 1-1 tie and went on to victory.

Each team's top hitter provided run support early in the ball game with the Patriots' Nathan Skeen driving home a run in the third and McMurry's Jake Mullin drove in a round with a double in the top of the fourth.

However, in the sixth, Michael Dibiasi led off with a single. Then Dylan De Leon drove a ball down the right field line advancing Dibiasi to third base, but De Leon was thrown out by right fielder Tyler Clakley trying to stretch the hit into a double. Then UT-Tyler's Matt Sparks intentionally walked Jake Mullin before walking Matt Thompson to load the bases with one out. Then Jeff Jackson hit a shallow pop fly to right field, Clakley caught the ball for out No. 2 and Dibiasi was sent home to try and score the go-ahead run but Clakley hosed him at the plate for the final out of the inning.

McMurry's inability to score in the sixth was its last legitimate shot at runs, but the Patriots scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth on RBI doubles from Cody Jones and Brett Hightower to make the score 3-1.

In the bottom of the eighth, UTT added insurance when Justin Juneau doubled home a run and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Jones. After seven innings of work from Sparks, who picked up the win to move to 6-2 on the season, the Patriots turned to Matt Schimpf who picked up the save in two innings of relief work and struck out four McMurry batters without allowing a hit.

McMurry starter Chris Semchenko fell to 5-2 on the season and threw 7.1 innings in his sixth start of the season. The sophomore right hander scattered six hits, allowed five runs (four earned), walked two and struck out four. Chris Maldanado threw the final two-thirds of an inning for McMurry without allowing a hit or a run.

Jones, Juneau and Skeen all finished with two hits for UT-Tyler with Jones' two RBI leading the way whiel McMurry's Dibiasi and Brian Durst each had two hits apiece. All in all, however, McMurry managed just seven hits.

With rain in the forecast likely for Saturday, game two of the series is scheduled for 2 p.m. with the third game if necessary following.