AUSTIN, Texas — Starting and winning pitcher Chad McKenzie allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings, and Xavier University of Louisiana produced a season-high 21 hits Saturday in a 9-1 Red River Athletic Conference baseball decision against Huston-Tillotson.
        The Gold Rush (8-23 overall, 5-16 Red River) won 2-of-3 games against the Rams (14-27, 9-15), the team XULA is battling with for the eighth and final spot in the conference tournament.
        McKenzie allowed five hits, walked four and struck out two in his first victory of the season. His teammates supported him well, scoring three first-inning runs en route to a 6-0 lead through three.
        Miles Peterson, Cohen Boyd, Jayden Smith, Cam Finn and Alex Crews had three hits apiece for XULA. Peterson, Boyd, Smith and Crews hit doubles, and Smith had two RBIs.
        Colby Henderson pitched a scoreless 3 2/3 innings to earn his second save of the season.
        Noah Alvarez had two hits and two walks for Huston-Tillotson.
        XULA hit .416 in the series. Smith went 8-for-14, Finn 6-for-9 and Peterson 7-for-14.
        XULA will play host to Texas College in a three-game Red River series — 8 p.m. Friday, then a noon Saturday doubleheader — at Skelly-Rupp Stadium (2515 Vespasian Blvd, zip 70114).