BOX SCORE (.pdf)
AUSTIN, Texas – The second-seeded Concordia University Texas baseball team rallied to knock off No. 7 seed Hardin-Simmons, 6-5, in the opening round of the American Southwest Conference Tournament Wednesday at Tornado Field.
The Tornados (30-10) scored three runs in the seventh inning, including two on a home run by
Connor Bertsch, to overtake the Cowboys (13-25) for good.
Bertsch was 3-for-4 with a home run that tied the game. He also was intentionally walked prior to his two-run blast and scored twice.
Garrett Benyo bolstered Concordia Texas' offense with two hits, including a two-run double.
Hardin-Simmons got on the board first, after a pair of throwing errors by CTX starting pitcher
Ragan Pope.
However, the Tornados responded in the third with three runs in the third.
Alex Steadman scored the first run, as
Luke Kress hit a fly ball to right field that was dropped. After Bertsch was intentionally walked, Benyo stepped up and laced a double down the left-field line, clearing the bases.
The Cowboys then pulled even in the fifth, as Dylan Sweeney drove in two on a double to left.
Hardin-Simmons added two more in the following panel. Taylor Cooling drove in a run on a single through the left side of the infield. Jamie Ball then tripled to left center, driving in Cooling.
With two outs in the seventh,
Michael Evan drew a walk. Bertsch then blasted a home run over the wall in center field to tie up the contest. Benyo followed with an infield single and
Damian Del Signore, who pinch ran for Benyo, moved to second on a wild pitch and then to third on a throwing error.
Race Mellman drew a walk and
Gareth Hutton dropped a liner into center field, which allowed Del Signore to trot home with the go-ahead run.
Justin Traxler came in and closed the door, as the right-hander put up a pair of scoreless innings and struck out three to earn his sixth save of the season.
Trey Pledger (2-1) picked up the victory in relief after tossing 1 1/3 innings of scoreless ball.
Colton Spears (3-1) suffered the loss after giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits in two stanzas out of the bullpen.
The Tornados will face sixth-seeded East Texas Baptist, who outlasted No. 3 seed Texas-Dallas 8-7 in 11 innings, at 4 p.m. Thursday.
