Twenty-four hours after suffering their first loss of the season, the Denison baseball team rebounded with an 11-4 victory over Howard Payne University on Tuesday in Belton, Texas on the campus of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Howard Payne tried to end Denison freshman John Troll's night early by scoring four runs in the top of the first. However, that wasn't the case as the Troll went into lockdown mode as he scattered just two hits, struck out five and issued one free pass over the next 6.1 innings.

The Big Red offense backed their starting pitcher by scoring 11-consecutive runs. Junior Eric Zmuda knocked in Noah Hahn with his fourth triple of the season in the bottom of the first. Zmuda later came around to score on a wild pitch by Tyler Colburn. The Big Red grabbed the lead with three runs in their next trip to the plate. The margin was shrunk to one when sophomore Tanner Johnson scored on a misplayed ball in center field. Hahn put DU in front with a two-run infield single that scored seniors Joe LaPlaca and Duncan Moran.

Denison continued to add to its lead with a single run in the third and three more in the fourth. Evan Flax scored on a Zach Moseley wild pitch in the third frame, while Johnson and Moran each provided run-scoring hits. Johnson hit a double that scored Jack Blanchard, while Moran singled to left which scored Flax. Sophomore Sam Frazen plated Johnson in the sixth with a single to center, while an error by the right fielder allowed Jake Meegan to score in the seventh.

Hahn collected three hits, including a double with two RBIs and a run scored, while Johnson had a double, scored three times and swiped two bases. Frazen collected two hits, while Moran drove in a pair and Flax scored twice. Troll earned his first-collegiate win asurrendering four runs on five hits with five strikeouts in 7.1 innings of work. Perley Provost finished off the final 1.2 innings, retiring all five batters he faced.

David Graves went 2-for-3 with the Yellow Jackets' only extra-base hit of the game, while Cliff Lunceford drove in a pair and Brandon Garrett stole three bases. Colburn suffered the loss after giving up five runs on five hits in 1.2 innings.

With the win, Denison improves to 6-1, while the loss drops Howard Payne to 6-6. The Big Red returns to action on Wednesday when they travel to 18th-ranked Texas-Tyler (12-6). First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. CDT.