BOX SCORE

POSTGAME INTERVIEW WITH TYLER GRYGAR

Austin, Texas – Tyler Grygar went the distance for the second time this spring in leading the ninth-ranked Concordia University Texas baseball team to a 6-2 victory over Mississippi College in an American Southwest Conference Championship Series game on Saturday, May 5 at Tornado Field. With the victory, the Tornados advanced to tomorrow's championship battle and will face the winner of an elimination game between Mississippi College and McMurry.

Concordia (35-9), which was the visiting team on the scoreboard, quickly jumped ahead for the second straight day in the top of the second. Collin Janssen drew a leadoff walk and scored from second three plays later on a single up the middle by Andrew Burns.

Mississippi College (21-23), however, evened the score in the bottom of the fourth on a failed double-play attempt by the Tornado defense. Brett Hightower, who singled early in the inning, came home on a fielder's choice play in which Tornado first baseman Kyle Rodriguez gunned down Spencer Brunson at second base before the throw back to him at first was not in time to get Pate Shakelford.

The teams traded runs in the fifth inning by taking advantage of infield errors. Following two Choctaw defensive miscues, the Tornados eventually plated a go-ahead run in the top half of the frame. Matt McManemin rifled a single through the middle to score a speedy Brent Schaekel from second. Half an inning later, Daniel Wass was able to come home for the equalizer when a throw to Burns at third was wild.

The seesaw battle ended in the late innings, as Concordia went ahead for good on a bloop single by Schaekel to left in the top of the seventh that scored pinch runner Foster Bowman. Three consecutive singles by Rodriguez, Gommert and Burns in the eighth doubled the Tornado advantage in the eighth before Heath Padgett capped the scoring with a single up the middle that plated two more and made it 6-2. Grygar kept the Choctaws in check the rest of the way.

By hurling his second complete game of the season, Concordia's Grygar picked up the victory and improved his record to 6-2 this year. He allowed six hits and two runs, including one earned, while striking out seven and not issuing a walk. Mississippi College's Ryan Glover dropped to 7-4 after suffering the loss. He allowed 11 hits and six runs, including five earned, over 7.1 frames.

Concordia (35-9) advanced to tomorrow's championship contest and will face the winner of tonight's elimination game between McMurry and Mississippi College. The title game will be played at 1 p.m., and the Tornados will need to win only one game to capture their second title in as many years.

Notes: Concordia is serving as the host of the American Southwest Conference Championship Round, a double-elimination event, from May 4-6 … The winner, which is going to be crowned on Sunday, will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament … The baseball team is looking to become Concordia's third squad to win an American Southwest Conference title during the 2011-12 academic year after the women's cross country and women's basketball teams accomplished the feat in the fall and winter, respectively ... The Tornados, who are in a good position to earn one of 16 available Pool C at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament regardless of the outcome of tomorrow's championship, will need to be beaten twice to be denied their second straight league crown.
-agate-
#9 Concordia (35-9)                   010     010     130     6    13    2
Mississippi College (21-23)     000     110     000     2     6     2
     Concordia: Tyler Grygar and Collin Janssen.
     Mississippi College: Ryan Glover, Ian Underwood (8) and Chad Wooten.