BOX SCORE

INTERVIEW WITH COLIN BUTSCHEK

Richardson, Texas – Colin Butschek and Ryan Ullmann combined for a shutout on the mound as the Concordia University Texas baseball team held on to record a 1-0 victory over McMurry in the opening game for both teams at the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament on Friday, May 6 at the UTD Baseball Field. The Tornados advanced to the winners bracket by recording their third consecutive victory, while the War Hawks will play in an elimination game.

Concordia (28-15), which was making its first appearance in the league tournament since falling to McMurry in the championship game in 2008, got all the scoring it needed in the bottom of the first inning. After Justin Beasley was issued a walk with two outs, Collin Janssen blasted an RBI double to the gap in left center to put the Tornados on the board.

McMurry (17-26) made several attempts to score while pitcher Spencer Smith was limiting the Tornados to just a pair of hits over the first six innings, but Butschek was able to stay disciplined on the mound and got some help from his defense to keep the War Hawks at bay. Janssen threw out Andrew Bell, who was attempting to steal third, after recovering a wild pitch that bounced to his right in the second inning.

The superb defense continued for the Tornados in the middle innings. When Bell flew out to shallow right in the fourth following a triple by Matt Thompson, Bieschke gunned down Thompson at home plate with Janssen applying the tag to end the frame and keep the Tornados ahead. Butschek also induced a double play with two on and one out that was successfully executed by Colton Gommert, Matt McManemin and Robert Brown to end the fifth.

McMurry, which left nine runners on base and five in scoring position, continued making several fierce attempts to rally in the late innings. Ullmann entered the game with one out, a 2-0 count and a pair of runners on base in the eighth before issuing a walk to load the bases. The sophomore, however, forced the next two batters to fly out.

Concordia had its best chance to extend its lead when Kristopher Pearce and Brent Schaekel hit consecutive singles to start off the bottom of the eighth. Smith, however, got out of the jam by inducing a ground out to end the inning.

McMurry did not go down without a fight and was able to place runners at first and second with only one out. But Ullmann once again got out of a major jam for the second straight frame. Bradd Baker was retired on an infield fly that landed in the glove of McManemin, and Kory Moench struck out to end the game.

Butschek improved to 8-3 on the season by picking up the victory for Concordia. He surrendered six hits and issued three walks over 7.1 shutout innings. Ullmann did not allow a hit in 1.2 frames to pick up his second save of the year. McMurry's Smith took the tough loss and dropped to 5-2 despite going the distance and yielding five hits along with one run which was earned. He struck out four and walked three.

Concordia will play its next game tomorrow at 1 p.m. against Texas-Dallas, which defeated Hardin-Simmons by a 5-2 score in its opening game of the tournament.
-agate-
McMurry (17-26)         000     000     000     0     6     0
Concordia (28-15)     100     000     00x     1     5     0
     McMurry: Spencer Smith and Bradd Baker,
     Concordia: Colin Butschek, Ryan Ullmann (8) and Collin Janssen.