BOX SCORE

Tyler, Texas – Alec Carter went 3-for-4 with a double, but the Concordia University Texas baseball team dropped a 3-2 decision to No. 23 Texas-Tyler on Friday, Feb. 24 at Irwin Field. The Tornados attempted to rally from a three-run deficit and outhit the Patriots, 10-4, and had the tying run 90 feet away on two occasions, but the squad could not get enough timely hitting down the stretch before suffering just their third loss of the season in 12 tries.

Texas-Tyler (8-1), which is ranked 23rd nationally by D3baseball.com and was picked to win the American Southwest Conference East Division, got to Tornado pitcher Scott Hays early by scoring twice in the first and once in the second. Isaac Tijerina hit a two-run single in the opening inning with runners in scoring position before a groundout to short by Aaron McCain in the next frame forced in Jake Beam, who reached on a single up the middle.

Concordia sliced the deficit to a single run by plating two in the top of the fifth. With Tornados on second and third, reigning ASC West Division Hitter of the Week Brent Schaekel hit a sacrifice fly to left that scored Colton Gommert. Tyler Grygar followed with an RBI single to the gap in right center and advanced to second on a single by Carter that kept the inning alive. The next hitter, however, flied out to short for the final out. The Tornados had their chances and put the tying run just 90 feet away on third in the eighth and ninth innings, but relievers Parker Sheets and Derek Miller got out of each major jam by inducing a flyout and striking out another Tornado batter, respectively, which allowed the Patriots to escape with the narrow win.

Jack Barkley picked up the victory for Texas-Tyler after surrendering seven hits and two runs over six innings of work. He fanned three and walked none. Miller picked up the save for throwing a scoreless ninth. Concordia's Scott Hays was tagged with the loss despite yielding just three hits and three runs, including two earned, in 6.2 frames. He also recorded four strikeouts.

Concordia (9-3) will conclude its three-game series with Texas-Tyler tomorrow afternoon when the teams face off two more times beginning at 1 p.m.
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Concordia (9-3)               000     020     000     2    10   1
#23 Texas-Tyler (8-1)     210     000     00x     3     4     1
     Concordia: Scott Hays, Jacob Spelbring (7) and Collin Janssen.
     Texas-Tyler: Jack Barkley, Parker Sheets (7), Derek Miller (9) and Hayden Chick.