TYLER, Texas – The Concordia Baseball team's rally fell short in the ninth, falling to Cal Lutheran 6-3 in the first game of the NCAA West Regional on Thursday.

Justin Traxler pitched into the eighth after surrendering five runs in the first two innings of the game, allowing six runs on 12 hits on the day. Michael Evan finished the day with half of the team's six hits.

The Tornados, trailing 5-1 heading into the sixth, cut the lead to two after Casen Novak and Race Mellman led off the inning with a hit by pitch and a single. Bret Leiferman would bring home Novak on an RBI groundout and Mellman would score on a Kingsmen's error to make it 5-3.

Matthew Williams would come in relief for Traxler with two runners on in the eighth. CLU would add a run on a single to push their lead to 6-3 as the teams headed to the ninth.

In the ninth, CTX would put the first two runners on to start the inning. A Caleb Maddox line out would be turned into a triple play to end the game as the Kingsmen took the game 6-3.

The Tornados now move to the loser's side of the bracket and will face UT Tyler on Friday at 11 a.m. in an elimination game.