BOX SCORE

Seguin, Texas – Connor Bertsch went 1-for-3 with two runs batted in, but the Concordia University Texas baseball team fell to Texas Lutheran by a 5-4 decision in 10 innings on Friday, Apr. 19 at Katt-Isbel Field. The Bulldogs rallied from two runs down by tallying one run in each of the last three frames to escape with the victory.

In a seesaw battle that featured three ties and three lead changes, Concordia quickly got on the board in the top of the first inning when Bertsch hit a sacrifice fly that plated Brent Schaekel. Texas Lutheran (29-9, ASC 15-1), however, came right back and took a 2-1 lead through three innings. Derek Kanas tied the game with a solo home run to right center in the second before Klaus Bohrmann drove in the go-ahead run one frame later on an RBI single.

Despite surrendering an early lead, the Tornados responded by scoring twice in the top of the fifth. Schaekel hit a sacrifice fly to tie up the score, and Bertsch followed up with a single to center that sent Quinn Guest home to make it 3-2 in favor of the visitors.

After Concordia added another tally in the seventh, the Bulldogs fought back in the late innings and took full advantage of a pair of Tornado errors to force extras. With two outs and runners on the corners, Tyler Carollo reached on a defensive miscue in the CTX infield to allow the tying run to come in from third base. Reliever Austin Rupert, who loaded the bases by walking the next batter, avoided any further trouble in the ninth by forcing Kanas to fly out to left, but the Bulldogs took full advantage of another Tornado defensive blunder to come away with the win in the 10th.

Rupert suffered the loss and fell to 3-2 this season. He pitched four frames of relief and allowed five hits and three runs, including one earned, while fanning one and walking two. Texas Lutheran's Dwayne Snider earned the win and moved his record to 1-0 after hurling three innings and not allowing a hit or a run. He also registered three strikeouts.

Concordia (19-19, ASC 10-6) and Texas Lutheran, which have had their last three meetings decided by a single run, will wrap up the three-game series with a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon that starts at noon.
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Concordia (19-19, ASC 10-6)            100     020     100     0     4     7     4
Texas Lutheran (29-9, ASC 15-1)     011     000     011     1     5    10    0
    Concordia: Bristan Clingaman, Brandon Garwood (3), Austin Rupert (6) and Tyler Bain.
    Texas Lutheran: Jeff Spillane, Blake Balazs (7), Conner Capdau (7), Dwayne Snider (8) and Ryan Hill.