BATESVILLE, Arkansas -- Lyon College baseball wins 6-5 in the rubber match of their three-game series against Howard Payne University.

After a scoreless first inning, Howard Payne struck first in the top of the second frame, scoring runs on a past ball and a sacrifice fly. The Scots trailed 2-0 at the end of the second.

In the bottom of the third, the Scots answered back when Kooper McCoy smacked an RBI double, scoring Braden Hendrix from second base and cutting HPU's lead to a single run.

The Yellow Jackets tacked on two more runs in the top of the fourth inning, giving them a 4-1 lead over Lyon College heading into the fifth inning.

The Scots responded once again by putting up three runs in the bottom of the fifth, as Hendrix scored on an Ashton Compton sacrifice fly. The freshman Landon Swallow then came through with his second hit of the game, scoring McCoy and Slade Inman with a two-run single, tying up the ballgame 4-4 heading into the sixth frame.

After a scoreless sixth inning, Howard Payne regained the lead on an RBI double, giving them a 5-4 advantage over the Scots.

Lyon College answered swiftly once again, tying the game 5-5 when Compton scored on a deep sacrifice fly to right field by Walker Smith. The Scots then tacked on the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning when Garrett Graef scored from third base on a fielding error by Howard Payne.

Graef's run proved to be enough as senior right-handed pitcher Braden Anderson secured both the save and his first victory of the season, as the Scots prevailed by the 6-5 final.

Aiden Connolly started on the mound for the Scots, going four and one-thirds of an inning, giving up four runs on six hits. He also walked three batters while hitting four.
Freshman left-handed pitcher Alex Marsh came in relief of Connolly, pitching two and one-thirds of an inning, giving up one run on just one hit while also walking two batters.
Braden Anderson pitched the final two and one-thirds of an inning for the Scots, only giving up a single hit along with a walk.

The Scots will return to action on Monday, March 3 when they host Crowley's Ridge College for an afternoon doubleheader at Fred Wann Field, with first pitch commencing at 1:00 PM.