AUSTIN, Texas – Brent Schaekel scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch, and the Concordia University Texas baseball team earned a come-from-behind 6-5 victory in walk-off fashion to complete the three-game series sweep of Southwestern on Sunday afternooon at Tornado Field.
Schaekel started the ninth with an infield single and moved up to second base on a wild pitch by Clayton Sparks.
Tyler Bain then drew a walk, and one pitch later Schaekel stole third when
Wilkes Swaim pulled back on a bunt attempt.
With runners at the corners, Swaim then popped up a bunt attempt in foul territory, which was caught. Tyler Bludau doubled off Bain at first base on the play. After a pair of pitches to
Connor Bertsch, Sparks uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Schaekel to scamper home and score the winning run.
The Tornados (3-0) fell behind 5-0 after the Pirates (0-4) scored a run in the second and third innings and three in the fourth.
Two panels later, Concordia Texas sent nine batters to the plate and scored five runs to tie the contest.
Southwestern committed a pair of errors that aided the Tornados' rally, including an errant throw while attempting to turn a double play that allowed two runs to score.
Kiel Harmon pitched 4.2 scoreless stanzas and struck out two to keep the contest tied at 5-5. The right-hander gave way to
Corey Holmes (1-0), who struck out the only batter he faced and received the win after Concordia scored in the bottom-half of the inning.
The Tornados were limited to six hits, all singles, but also drew nine walks.
Bertsch and
Brandon Hollier both were 2-for-3 to pace CTX, while Hollier drove in a run. Schaekel was 1-for-4 with an RBI. The Tomball, Texas, native also registered his 60th career stolen base, which tied the program's all-time mark set by Lance Johnson (1991-94).
The Pirates tallied 11 base knocks on the day. Four Southwestern players logged two hits apiece, while Will Cates was 1-for-5 with a pair of RBIs.
Sparks (0-1) was saddled with the loss for the Pirates, as the southpaw gave up a hit, a run and walked one in two-thirds of a panel.
Concordia will return to action on Tuesday, Feb. 11, in a road tilt with former American Southwest Conference foe Texas Lutheran. First pitch of the non-conference contest is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Seguin.
