ALPINE, Texas - Baseball opened the 2022 season with a doubleheader sweep of McMurry at Kokernot Field.

"This early in the season you just don't know what to expect," said head coach Bobby Mesker. "But I couldn't have been more impressed with the at-bats from our hitters and the competitiveness on the mound. These are robably the two best games we've played to start the season since I've been here."

Game 1: Sul Ross 2, McMurry 1 (7 innings)
Estevan Ortiz plated Matthew Wheeler with an RBI single for the first run of the season and a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second.

The Lobos added the next run, an RBI triple by Jared Lorenz to score Carsen Thor for a 2-0 advantage in the third.

Sam Russell was in control on the mound, pitching 6.2 innings on four hits. He surrendered one unearned run in the top of the sixth and added 10 strikeouts.

The lefty entered the seventh but was pulled with two outs. Aidan Mow got the next batter out for the save in a 2-1 win.


Game 2: Sul Ross 13, McMurry 3
Lorenz grounded out to second, plating Jorge Marquez for a 1-0 lead after the first.

After McMurry scored two in the top of the second, the Lobos put up seven in the bottom of the inning. Ortiz first singled home Wheeler before Marquez later singled in Orlando Moreno and Ortiz for a 5-2 lead. Tye Lindsey and Tristan Karels later added back-to-back RBI singles before Wheeler walked with the bases loaded for an 8-2 lead after two.

The War Hawks got one back in the top of the fourth to make it 8-3.

Sul Ross kept the bats going, scoring four in the sixth and one in the eighth.

Ian Craigie got the start on the bump. He went seven innings of three-run, five-hit ball with six strikeouts.

Connor Archer pitched the final two innings, allowing no hits and striking out one in the 13-3 win.

The Lobos start the season 2-0 and 2-0 in the ASC. McMurry falls to 2-3 and 0-2.

Sully looks for the sweep against the War Hawks at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday at Kokernot Field.