AUSTIN, Texas – Led by a stellar performance on the mound from Calvin Bush and fantastic execution at the plate, the Concordia Texas baseball team defeated East Texas Baptist 5-2 on Saturday at Tornado Field to advance to the American Southwest Conference Red Bracket Championship.

Fresh off a 14-strikeout performance against Mary Hardin-Baylor, Bush (5-0), a junior from Austin, Texas, fanned 13 over 8.0 innings while allowing just two runs and scattering six hits as CTX moves to 31-10 this season.

Marcus Thach, who reached base three times on the day, started the scoring for the Tornados in the fourth inning when he laid down a perfect bunt down the first base line to bring home Reed Carlton.

With two away and two runners in scoring position in the inning, Cameron Rape delivered a two-RBI single over the shortstop to bring home Jacob Stegent and Thach.

The score remained 3-0 until the top of the eighth inning when ETBU cut the deficit to one on an RBI single as well as an RBI fielder's choice.

With the score 3-2 and runners on first and second, Carson Cox made an over-the-shoulder catch in short right field to end the threat.

In the bottom half of the eighth, the Tornados were able to respond once again by using small ball. With two runners on and one away, Thach laid down another bunt down the line and was able to beat it out just before ETBU threw the ball away, allowing Carlton to race all the way around to score.

Ryan Clouse tacked on another run in the eighth with an RBI squeeze bunt to bring home Carson Cox and made the score 5-2.

Michael Smith came out of the bullpen in the ninth and slammed the door, striking out two in the final frame to pick up his second save of the season.

With the win, CTX advances to the ASC Red Bracket Championship game against ETBU on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. The Tornados will need to win one more game to advance to the ASC Gold Bracket Championship series.