BELTON, Texas- Catch up on the latest happenings in UMHB sports right here, as we cover every sport that played this past weekend, and highlight the top performers for the Cru.
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UMHB faced Schreiner Univ. in the home season opener at Red Murff Field, Belton, on Friday, February 14, 2020. 
UMHB hosted Southwestern University at Dee Dillon Field, Belton, on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. 
UMHB faced Baylor in its inaugural Acrobatics and Tumbling meet at the Mayborn Campus Center, Belton on Saturday, February 1, 2020. 
Football:
UMHB football defeated Southwestern 52-7 in the home opener. Read our complete game recap for more.
Men’s Basketball:
Josiah Johnson scored a total of 76 points in two games against Concordia as the Cru locked up the ASC West Division title.
Thursday’s Recap: UMHB men’s basketball powers past Concordia in a back-and-forth contest
Saturday’s Recap: Behind a 53-point performance from Johnson, UMHB men’s basketball locks up West Division title in 105-76 rout of Concordia
Women’s Basketball:
The Cru got back on track with consecutive victories over Concordia as Taylor Kollmorgen had two of the best games of her UMHB career.
Thursday’s Recap: UMHB women’s basketball snaps four-game losing skid with 74-42 win over Concordia
Saturday’s Recap: Facing Concordia for the second time in a week, UMHB women’s basketball comes up victorious
Baseball:
The UMHB baseball team was swept by conference rival LeTourneau to open up the season on Friday and Saturday, as the Yellowjackets bested the Cru by scores of 1-0, 4-1, 5-2, in Belton. It also marked the beginning of ASC play for second-year head coach Mike Stawski’s team.
Friday’s doubleheader did have some bright spots, as senior pitcher/infielder Jeb Zolman allowed just three hits in 5.1 innings on the mound. As the team’s game one starter, Zolman had good command, walking just two batters. He did get into a bit of trouble with one out in the sixth, balking, as LETU’s Bryce Bruegg crossed the plate for the game’s only run.
Game two saw JUCO transfer Andrew Acierni start for the Cru, as he nearly threw a complete game, allowing six hits and an earned run through eight innings of work. Reliever Harrison Sims failed to record an out as he came out of the bullpen for UMHB in the ninth, and gave up a double down the left field line, which scored runners from second and third.
First baseman Malik Bolin stood out at the plate, going three-for-seven over the course of those two games.
In Saturday’s finale, UMHB scored first, as Camryn Holliday hit a solo home run over the left field wall to put the Cru up 1-0 in the third inning. LETU would soon counter with two runs of its own in both the fourth and fifth, highlighted by a two-run home run from Bruegg. That was enough for the Yellow Jackets to secure the series sweep.
UMHB faces Texas Lutheran this coming Tuesday for a 6 p.m. matchup at Red Murff Field in Belton.
Softball:
With a 4-6 record to start ASC play against LeTourneau, the Cru lost the Friday-Saturday three game series, two games to one.
UMHB did win game one in Longview, besting the Yellow Jackets 10-4 in an offensive showdown. LETU managed to put two runs across the plate in the bottom of the first, but the Cru got going in the second, as Bailey Wagner stroked an RBI single to right, scoring Izzy Gutierrez from third. After the Yellow Jackets countered with a two-run third, UMHB exploded, scoring the game’s final nine runs, including five in the seventh. Elissa Elliott was clutch for the Cru, as the shortstop went three-for-four with three RBI.
LETU would go onto win the second game Friday, 7-6, despite an early two-run homer by UMHB’s Taylor Holman. In Saturday’s series finale, the Yellow Jackets led from start to finish with UMHB starter Bayleigh Grogan picking up the loss.
Acrobatics & Tumbling:
The Crusaders went toe-to-toe against the defending national champions on Saturday night, when they battled Baylor in a season-opening meet in Waco.
The Lady Bears earned the narrow 274.020-253.240 victory over UMHB, but it was not a weak showing from head coach Courtney Oates’ team, who is in its second year as a program.
This will be covered further in an upcoming feature on our website, but acrobatics & tumbling meets feature six different events, split into two halves.
On Saturday, UMHB began the contest strong, scoring a 35.05 in the complusory event, before posting a 24.200 in the Acro. Just before the half, the Cru put up a 9.150, 9.400, 9.600 in the Pyramid event, and finished the first three events with an 87.250. Baylor totaled 95.200 at the break.
Entering the second half, the Crusaders scored a 25.800 in Toss. They finished just off Baylor’s mark of 56.350 in the Tumbling event with a 50.050 before finishing the meet with a 90.140 in Team Event.
A home competition against Arizona Christian on March 8 in Belton is up next for the Cru.
Men’s Tennis:
The UMHB men’s tennis team had to battle rainy conditions in its opening match of the spring season on Saturday, hosting LeTourneau in Belton. The Yellow Jackets were dominant from start to finish winning the match 9-0, though UMHB’s Cody Aaron looked strong, falling 2-0 in singles play to Rodrigo Vazquez, but keeping both sets close (7-5, 6-3).
The Cru, now 0-1, will host D1 UT-Rio Grande Valley on Monday at 1 p.m. in Belton.
Women’s Tennis:
With darkness on the horizon, the UMHB women’s tennis team completed a long day of competition, defeating conference foe LeTourneau on Saturday in Belton by a score of 6-3.
The Cru dropped just one duel in singles play, as Sofia Sanchez, Victoria Rendon, Katy Beach, Alondra Torres-Diaz , and Amanda Almanza each defeated their respective opponents. LeTourneau went 2-1 in doubles action.
Next up for the Crusaders is a match against Ozarks on Friday at noon in Sherman, Texas. Monday’s scheduled match against UT-Rio Grande Valley has been canceled.
