Box Score

MCKINNEY, Texas – The Hendrix College baseball team kicked off the 2013 season with a 6-3 victory over Willamette University at the Ballfields at Craig Ranch on Friday night. The win was the first in the career of new head coach Neil Groat, who spent the last seven years an assistant for the Warriors.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the fourth, when junior center fielder Collin Radack singled, followed by a double from sophomore right fielder Matt Simmons, giving the Warriors a 1-0 lead. The Bearcats answered in the bottom of the frame when Tommy Kawamura walked and was tripled in by Tyson Giza to start the inning. Right fielder Tosh Semlacher reached on an error, allowing Giza to score the go-ahead run. Semlacher later gave the WU a 3-1 lead on a sacrifice fly by Sky Kelley.

With one out in the top of the sixth, Radack single and moved to third after sophomore third baseman Brady Newville singled and moved to second on an error. Simmons cleared the bases with a two-run double to tie the game at 3-3. Sophomore catcher Seth Mobley reached on an error and freshman second baseman Charlie St. Clair followed with another base clearing double, taking a 5-3 advantage.

Hendrix tacked on another run in the seventh when sophomore first baseman Ryan Ritz was hit by a pitch and later scored on a sac fly from Jacob Perschke.

Offensively, St. Clair went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a double and Simmons had a pair of doubles and three batted in. Radack also had two hits and a stolen base.

Perschke and freshman reliever Kyle Teachout combined to allow just two hits and 10 strikeouts. Perschke (1-0) earned the win, throwing five innings, allowing one hit, one earned run and fanning four. Teachout recorded a four-inning save, allowing just a hit and striking out six. Brandon Simon took the loss for the Bearcats, giving up eight hits, four earned runs and striking out three in six innings.

The Warriors will continue their weekend in McKinney when they take on East Texas Baptist on Saturday.