BOX SCORE

PHOTO GALLERY

Tyler, Texas – Brandon Hollier recorded three hits and drove in a career-high four runs, but the Concordia University Texas baseball team fell to Louisiana College by a 13-12 score in 10 innings in an American Southwest Conference Tournament elimination game on Saturday, May 4 at Irwin Field.

Concordia set the tone early and plated the game's first run in the top of the first. Casey Skalaban and Chance Leissner stole second and third after reaching base on a single and a walk, respectively. With Hollier at the plate, Skalaban came home as the result of an error by the Wildcat shortstop.

Louisiana College answered right back and scored the equalizer in the bottom of the first courtesy of an RBI single by Mark Riendeau. Reliever Austin Rupert, however, later got out of a bases-loaded jam by inducing a double play that he helped turn himself along with catcher Matt Smith and first baseman Conner Bertsch.

Concordia used that momentum to jump ahead with one run in the top of the second before adding six more tallies in the top of the third. After Smith drove in the go-ahead run, Skalaban capped the offensive explosion with an RBI single up the middle to give the Tornados a commanding 8-1 advantage.

But after Hollier drove in another run to make it an eight-run game in the top of the sixth, Louisiana College came storming back to make it a game again by scoring three times in the bottom of the sixth and seven innings. Cole Bagbey and Mark Riendeau each had a pair of runs batted in during the stretch to close the gap to 9-7.

The Wildcats continued to fight until the very last out and completed the rally by adding two more runs in the bottom of the ninth. Riendeau sliced the lead in half with a sacrifice fly before Matt Scott singled in Bagbey for the tying run. Louisiana College attempted to send in the winning tally on the same play behind Bagbey, but Tornado third baseman Andrew Burns tagged out Kade Van Norman in a rundown for the final out.

In extra innings, Concordia took over the game quickly by loading the bases with nobody out on two walks and a single. Conner Bertsch was then hit by a pitch to force in Brent Schaekel, and Brandon Hollier followed with a two-run single to make it 12-9 and break the game open.

Louisiana College (25-18), however, was able to complete the rally it started in the sixth by scoring four times in the bottom of the 10th. Batting with the bases loaded and nobody out, Colt Ducote hit a sharp grounder to third that allowed one run to score on a fielder's choice play before a Van Norman single created a 12-11 score. Mark Riendeau then drew a walk on a full count to load the bases to set the stage for cleanup hitter Kyle Feazell, who singled in two of his teammates to allow the Wildcats to walk off with the win and end the marathon that lasted four hours and 10 minutes.

Brandon Garwood suffered the loss for Concordia and ended the spring with a 1-2 ledger after allowing two hits and being charged with two runs, including one earned, in the extra frame. Louisiana College's Brand Bignar picked up the victory and improved his record to 1-1. He did not allow a hit or a run and recorded one strikeout in 0.2 innings of work.

Concordia (22-22), which was making its third straight appearance in the ASC Tournament, will graduate 10 seniors and is slated to return 25 letterwinners next season.
-agate-
Concordia (22-22)                    116     001     000     3    12    18    5
Louisiana College (25-18)     100     003     302     4    13    18    2
     Concordia:  Bristan Clingaman, Austin Rupert (1), Trey Pledger (7), Cade Radley (9), Brandon Garwood (10), Colin Butschek (10) and Matt Smith.
     Louisiana College: Josh Lang, Chris Bridges (3), Jacob Trahan (7), Tripp Davis (8), Tyler Dixon (10), Brand Bignar (10) and Kyle Feazell.