NACOGDOCHES, Texas – HBU senior centerfielder
Zach Nehrir was a single shy of the cycle, posted six RBIs and scored twice as the Huskies run-ruled Stephen F. Austin, 13-3 in seven innings, to complete the sweep of a three-game Southland Conference series Saturday at Jaycees Field.
Nehrir recorded a two-run double, a two-run triple and a two-run home run for the Huskies (19-15, 10-5 SLC). Junior shortstop
Louie Payetta was 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and scored twice, while extending his hitting streak to eight games. Junior designated hitter
Austin Saenz was 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, an RBI and a pair of runs, senior rightfielder
Thomas Clay went 3-for-3 and scored three times, and junior second baseman
Greg Espinosa doubled and drove in a pair.
Senior righthander
Taylor Wright (6-3) earned the win, allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits, with a career-high tying nine strikeouts and a walk in six innings. Senior
Chris Garza tossed a scoreless ninth.
Garrett McMullen went 2-for-2 with a doubled and scored twice, while Nick Ramos was 2-for-4 with a run for the Lumberjacks (12-23, 6-11). Conner Fikes singled and drove in a pair.
Jarred Greene (1-4) took the loss for SFA, giving up seven runs on seven hits with one strikeout and a pair of walks in three and two-thirds innings.
The Lumberjacks got on the board first taking advantage of a couple of Husky errors to score an unearned run in the second.
The Huskies answered with a four-spot in the top of the third. Junior first baseman
Andrew Alvarez drew a leadoff walk, then Clay followed with an infield single. Nehrir ripped a two-run triple to the rightcenter field gap, then Payetta blasted a home run to right, his third dinger of the season to put HBU ahead, 4-1.
In the bottom of the inning, Ramos led off with a single, then McMullen doubled with two outs. Fikes singled up the middle to score both runners and cut the Huskies lead to 4-3.
HBU scored three runs in each of the next three innings. In the fourth, Saenz led off with a solo home run to rightcenter, his second of the season. Alvarez walked, Clay was safe on another infield single, then Nehrir followed with a two-run double to left.
In the fifth, Espinosa slapped a two-run doubled inside the first-base bag, then scored on a pair of SFA errors to extend HBU's lead to 10-3.
In the sixth, Clay led off with a single, then Nehrir rocked a two-run shot to left, his first career home run as a Husky. Payetta walked and later scored on a wild pitch for the game's final tally.
The Huskies will return to action when they face Texas Southern Tuesday at 3 p.m. at MacGregor Park in Houston, before a three-game conference series on the road against Lamar Friday through Sunday in Beaumont.
