ARLINGTON, Texas – Even though Texas finally received rain this week, it was not the storms that cancelled the final round of the UTA Waterchase Invitational – it was bees.

A branch fell from a tree near the 18^th green, exposing a football-sized bee hive. Several players were stung this morning, so play was suspended. After a beekeeper assessed the situation, it was determined the conditions were too dangerous for the players to continue and the final round of the tournament was cancelled and reverted back to the 36-hole scores.

Houston Baptist University shot back-to-back rounds of 305 to tied for 15^th at the 7,289-yard, par-72 Waterchase Golf Club.

Freshman Jeffrey Merrell was the Huskies' top finisher, firing a 1-over par 73 in the second round, after carding a 77 in the first round to tie for 36^th at 150. Fellow freshman Andy Ariens posted two-straight rounds of 76 to tie for 52^nd at 152. Junior Hudson Hansard led HBU with a 74 on the opening 18, but shot a 79 in the second round and tied for 57^th at 153. Freshmen Preston Stanley and Brandon Wilhide both tied for 70^th at 156 after recording 78s in both of their rounds. Senior Mark Slater played individually and tied for 57^th at 153 with scores of 78 and 75.

Wichita State won the tournament at 570, four strokes ahead of Sam Houston State and 14 up on host UT-Arlington and Arkansas State. Wichita State's Rafael Becker opened with a 3-over par 75, but rebounded with an 8-under par 64 for a total of 139 to claim the individual title by two strokes over Sam Houston State's Scott Kelly, who shot 73 and 68 for a score of 141.

The Huskies return to action at the Connecticut Cup Oct. 10-11 at Ellington Ridge Country Club in Ellington, Conn.