Austin, Texas – The Concordia University Texas baseball team opens up American Southwest Conference West Division Play when it hosts Howard Payne for a three-game series on March 11-12. Forever Video Productions is slated to webcast each game for fans who can't make it to Tornado Field.

Concordia (8-7), which was predicted to finish sixth in the American Southwest Conference West Division, is 2-3 during its current homestand after falling to Robert Morris (IL) by a 9-2 decision on Tuesday. The Tornados have gotten stellar pitching in most cases to find success. Four pitchers - Sean Thompson, Colin Butschek, Gerry Morrison and Pedro Maldonado - combined to hurl a season-best 14 scoreless innings in a row over a three-game stretch. Butschek most notably threw seven of them while striking out five hitters, yielding three hits on singles and not issuing a walk last Friday night in a 7-0 win over Ozarks. Newcomers Brent Schaekel and Collin Janssen are pacing the Tornado offense and have each been named the ASC West Division Hitter of the Week. They are hitting .426 and .327 and have driven in nine and 10 runs, respectively. Nick Kozole leads the Tornados with two home runs and 12 RBI to go along with a .342 average, while Bucky Bryant is hitting .435 in 13 appearances and five starts.

Howard Payne (3-7), which was selected to finish seventh among eight teams in the American Southwest Conference Preseason Poll, most recently dropped two contests in a three-game set against LeTourneau last weekend. Pacing the weakest offense in the entire ASC, which has only scored 30 runs in 10 games, is sophomore infielder Houston Holmes. He is hitting .321 with four RBI and is the only player with an average that is over .300. The Yellow Jackets, who plate only 2.6 runs per game against NCAA Division III competition, are also getting small contributions from sophomore infielder Sam Dollahite and senior outfielder Taylor Zambreski. They are batting .281 and .152, respectively, and have each driven in four runs. Billy Ray Cruz, a senior, has been the leader of the pitching staff. He has a 4.56 earned run average and two of the team's three wins. Sophomore hurler Jonathan Morris has punched out 19 hitters, which ranks fourth in the ASC West Division.

Game Information (Friday, March 11)
6:50 p.m. Pregame
7:00 p.m. Concordia vs. Howard Payne

Game Information (Saturday, March 12)
12:50 p.m. Pregame
1:00 p.m. Concordia vs. Howard Payne (Game One)
*4:00 p.m. Concordia vs. Howard Payne (Game Two)

*Time Approximate

Click Here to Watch Live Webcast!

Instructions for Viewing Webcast
1. Click on the above link.
2. Enter your first and last name as well as your email address.
3. Highlight "Concordia University Baseball" and then click "Submit."
4. Click on "See Baseball Games here."
5. Type in the user ID and password that is provided to you on the white screen and click "OK."
6. Click on the play button in the middle of the screen.

Note: Due to raising costs needed to provide a quality broadcast, Forever Video Productions will be charging $5.49 (sales tax included) per game or $10.00 for doubleheaders for baseball and softball this spring.