AUSTIN, Texas – A pair of well-pitched games and a big inning in the nightcap helped the 21st-ranked Concordia University Texas baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Hardin-Simmons on Saturday at Tornado Field. The Tornados won the opening game 7-0 and completed the American Southwest Conference series sweep with a 13-2 victory in seven innings in the finale.
Concordia Texas (15-4, 10-1 ASC) pounded out 21 hits in the twinbill, including a dozen in the nightcap.
The opener featured a dominant performance by
Cameron Cox, who hurled his third consecutive shutout. The right-hander scattered five hits and recorded five strikeouts while improving to 5-0 on the year.
In the finale,
Brandon Garwood and
Josh Smith combined to allow just two runs and two hits. Garwood allowed two hits and two runs (one earned) over 3.1 innings, while Smith logged 3.2 scoreless stanzas and fanned three to improve to 4-0 on the season.
The offensive charge was led by
Connor Bertsch, who was 3-for-7 with one double, a home run and six RBIs during the day.
Michael Evan was 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs. He also scored twice and stole two bases.
Luke Kress also registered three hits, including a double, drove in a run and scored five times.
Garrett Benyo went 2-for-5 with two doubles, one RBI and scored twice.
In the nightcap, the Cowboys (5-7, 1-4 ASC) took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. However, in the bottom of the frame, the Tornados sent 13 batters to the plate and scored eight runs to grab a 9-2 advantage. CTX added three more tallies in the following panel, including two on a Bertsch's first home run of the campaign.
Concordia added one more mark in the sixth when
Caleb Rodriguez hit a run-scoring double to right field.
The Tornados, who have won five straight and 11 of their last 12, will return to action on Tuesday, March 17, in a non-conference tilt at No. 11 Trinity. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. in San Antonio.
