Baseball Opens Playoffs With Win
April 25, 2008

The 8th-ranked University of Texas at Tyler baseball team jumped out to 1-0 lead in their American Southwest Conference opening round playoff series by downing Hardin-Simmons, 13-5.

The Patriots started off hot when junior Kendall Fox (Carrollton, Texas) scored off of a single from junior Jeremy Harding (Houston, Texas) to give his team a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, junior Joe Towns (Carrollton, Texas) would score off of an error by Hardin-Simmons’ Kevin Ellison to give UT Tyler a 2-0 lead.

The Patriots would add another run in the bottom of the second to go up 3-0.

In the top of the fifth, the Cowboys got their offense started with a score by Wayne Pimpton off of a wild pitch from junior pitcher Blake Booher (Hurst, Texas). Hardin-Simmons would tie the game at three, with a two RBI triple by Ryan Stepp.

However, the game would not be tied for long as the Patriots would score five runs with two outs to take an 8-3 lead in the bottom of the inning. The onslaught got started with a two-run home by senior Kyle Braden (Carrollton, Texas). The Cowboys would throw three different pitchers to the Patriots in the inning.

The Patriots would continue their offensive barrage through out the game outhitting Hardin-Simmons, 20-8

Kendall Fox would reach base by hit or walk in all six plate appearances on the night.

Blake Booher remained perfect on the year and picked up his 11th win of the year by allowing just four runs on five hits with eight strikeouts in eight innings. Booher also became the first player in ASC history to win 11 games in a season.

UT Tyler set a new single-season ASC record for strikeouts on the night reaching 344 on the year, eclipsing the previous record of 337 set by Texas Lutheran in 2005.

Nathan Copeland was credited with the loss for the Cowboys as he gave up five earned runs off of eight hits over 4.2 innings.

The win lifts UT Tyler to 34-7 on the season, while Hardin-Simmons falls to 26-15.

The two teams will return to Irwin Field on Saturday at 1 p.m. for game two of the three game series. Game three, if necessary, will take place thirty minutes after the conclusion of game two.

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