(Story courtesy of McMurry University Athletics Communications)
La Verne, Calif. - Opening the Regional round of the 2025 NCAA Baseball Championships at Ben Hines Field in La Verne, CA, McMurry defeated Pomona-Pitzer by a score of 8-7.
Pomona-Pitzer scored a run in the bottom of the 1st inning to take an early 1-0 lead. McMurry answered in the top of the 2nd when Xavier Escobar singled to score Beckham Paul, tying the game 1-1.
McMurry's offense came alive in the top of the 3rd inning, scoring five runs to take a 6-1 lead. Riley Hood started the inning with a single, followed by a walk to Collin Bruning. Michael Smosna singled to score Hood. Nolan Scherencel would reach on a fielder's choice, with Bruning tagged out at home. Beckham Paul singled to score Smosna to push the War Hawk lead to 3-1. Xavier Escobar would draw a walk to load the bases, and Koy Carpenter would shoot a single to left field, driving in Scherencel and Paul. Ty Nelson would cap the scoring for the inning by singling home Escobar to end the third with McMurry up 6-1.
McMurry added another run in the top of the 4th when Beckham Paul hit a sacrifice fly to score Collin Bruning, making it 7-1. Pomona-Pitzer responded with two runs in the bottom of the 4th and another in the 5th, cutting the deficit to 7-4.
Pomona-Pitzer continued to rally, scoring two runs in the bottom of the 7th to make it 7-6, and would score another run to tie the game in the bottom of the 8th, 7-7.
McMurry regained the lead in the top of the 9th inning when Beckham Paul singled up the middle to score Michael Smosna, who led off the inning with a ringing triple to right-center field.
Jonathan Enriquez earned the win for McMurry, pitching 2.2 innings in relief of Hunter Poe. Poe pitched six innings, giving up four runs, two earned, on four hits and striking out two.
Today's win advances McMurry to play Saturday at 2 p.m. against the Whitworth vs. La Verne winner, which will be played Friday afternoon.
