AUSTIN, Texas – The 23rd-ranked Concordia University Texas baseball team split a doubleheader with Southwestern on Saturday at Tornado Field to close out the non-conference series. The Tornados won the opener, 11-6, but dropped a 7-5 decision in 12 innings in the nightcap.
Concordia Texas (4-3) raced out to a 6-0 lead in the opening game. The Pirates (2-2) picked up two runs in the fourth, but CTX answered with two more runs in the bottom half of the panel. The Tornados then added a single run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to extend their lead to 11-2. Southwestern scored four times in the seventh, but was unable to threaten before the game ended.
Cameron Cox (1-0) picked up the win after limiting the Pirates to two runs (one earned) on four hits over six innings. The right-hander also fanned six batters.
Adam Ortega had a hit and drove in three to lead the offensive attack.
Michael Evan,
Luke Kress and
Race Mellman each also drove in two runs on one hit apiece.
In the nightcap, the Tornados pushed out to a 5-2 lead through four innings. However, Southwestern scored twice in the fifth and once in the sixth to even up the contest. The Pirates then scored twice in the 12th inning to compete the come-from-behind win.
Michael Evan was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs to lead Concordia at the plate.
Garrett Benyo was 1-for-2 with a double and drove in two.
Sean Mathews (0-1) was saddled with the loss, as the right-hander yielded two runs (one earned) on three hits over one-third of an inning.
Noah Clark (1-0) picked up the win for Southwestern after hurling three scoreless stanzas.
The Tornados will return to action next weekend, as the squad heads to Clarksville, Ark., to face Ozarks in a three-game conference series.
