AUSTIN, Texas – The Concordia Baseball team faced Texas Lutheran in a home-opening doubleheader, but during a cold, foggy night mistakes piled up as they dropped the first game 8-0 and the second game 16-3.
In the first game, a seven-inning game, the Tornados (1-2) offense was ineffective against the Bulldogs (2-1) as they were only able to amount three hits on the night. On the defensive side, TLU was able to capitalize on six CTX errors scoring six of their eight runs as unearned.
In the first inning, the Tornados committed two errors against the first two batters of the game in an inning the Bulldogs would push across one run without getting a hit and taking an early 1-0 lead. TLU would score another run in the second, before having a four-run third inning as CTX committed another pair of errors and went down 6-0.
Jake Valadez (0-1) had his first start on the mound for the Tornados as he went 2.2 of an inning giving up only three hits but walked five batters, while also being tagged for six runs, one of them earned.
Dakota Brewton had a strong first appearance on the mound, as he came in to pitch the final two innings allowing no hits and striking out two as they CTX.
In the nightcap, too many mistakes by the Tornados as they committed six errors in a game that ended after eight innings due to the run rule.
TLU would grab an early 1-0 lead after a throwing error allowed the runner from second to score. CTX would grab its first lead of the day in the bottom half of the second after a Bulldogs error allowed
Jake Valadez to reach and then
Race Mellman followed up with a double to score Valadez. Mellman would eventually come home on a passed ball and give the Tornados a 2-1 lead.
Matt Williams (0-1) had his first collegiate start on the mound as he was able to work into the fifth inning giving up only four runs, two earned, while striking out three batters.
Down 4-2, Bret Lieferman led off the bottom of the fifth with a triple over the head of the outfielder, who was disabled by the low fog, and would come home on a TLU passed ball to make it 4-3.
The Tornados' rally came up short though as the Bulldogs scored 12 runs in the final three innings to take the win.
CTX will now head on the road to Grand Prairie, Texas, to play in a round robin facing UT Dallas first on Feb. 10 at 2:30 p.m.
