Feb. 27, 2007

Final Stats

ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' baseball team overcame an 11-2 deficit to defeat Wayland Baptist 14-13 in non-conference action at Hunter Field, giving HSU head coach Steve Coleman his 216th win at HSU, tying him with Larry Martindale as the all-time leader in wins at the school.

The Cowboys scored 12 runs in the last four innings, including four in the bottom of the ninth to earn the win.

Wayland Baptist scored seven runs in the third inning and added four more in the sixth to make it 11-2.

Brad Coleman put the Cowboys on the scoreboard in the fifth with a two-run single. HSU added five runs in the sixth to make it 11-7. Michael Simpson drove in four of the runs with a long grand slam, the 24th home run of his career. The home run tied him with Clay Johnston on the non-scholarship era career charts for most career home runs.

WBU made it 13-7 on a two-run home run by Deacon Lucas in the seventh, but HSU responded with a run in the seventh on a Taylor Gibbs RBI single and two more in the eighth to make it 13-10. In the eighth James Gage and Blake Koch had back-to-back RBI singles.

Josh Alcorn came in the ninth inning and struck out two to earn the win in relief after the Cowboys scored four runs in the ninth.

Taylor Lamar led off with a walk and Danny Ruth doubled to center and Lamar scored when the relay throw got away. Coleman then doubled to right to drive in Ruth. Kevin Ellison pinch-ran for Coleman and came around to score after Ryan Stepp had a bunt single and Simpson drew and pinch-hitter Wayne Pimpton had a bases loaded walk.

James Gage then appeared to win the game with a shallow fly to center, but Jonathan Reynoso made a great play and then threw out a speedy Simpson at the plate. Stepp remained at second and Pimpton was on first with two outs.

Blake Koch then hit a ball back up the middle, but Pimpton outraced second baseman Brain Bueno to the bag and Stepp, who was running all the way on the play came around from second to score the game-winning run.

Stepp had four hits for the Cowboys and Simpson had four RBIs, while Coleman had a pair of hits and three RBIs.

B.J. Meyers took the loss in relief for the Plainsmen. HSU is now 6-3 on the year and WBU fell to 6-8.

HSU will play at UT-Dallas on Friday as Coleman and Simpson go for new school records.