JACKSON, Miss. –
Bret Leiferman's one-out single in the first inning of the second game of Saturday's doubleheader was historic as he broke the program's all-time hits record and the Concordia Texas baseball team completed a three-game sweep of Belhaven to open conference play.
Leiferman, a senior out of Round Rock, Texas, entered the day two hits away from tying the record, which had been set by Scott Bunting (2002-05).
In the first game, the Tornados used a four-run outburst in the second inning and never looked back, defeating the Blazers 8-1.
Leiferman went 2-for-3 in the game, pulling even with Bunting for the record.
Casen Novak, who was not far off the record either, sitting four hits from the mark, had his fifth 3-hit game of the season, driving in a pair on a two-run home run in the second inning, his first homer of the season, and scored twice from the leadoff spot.
Calvin Bush was once again stellar for CTX on the mound, tossing six scoreless innings, striking out eight hitters and allowing only two hits.
Ten different batters recorded a hit at the plate, including a two-hit day for
Owen Hill, as the Tornados totaled 14 hits as a team in the seven-inning game.
They tacked on two more runs in the fourth and sixth innings to wrap up the victory and clinch the series win.
In the second game of the afternoon, Leiferman put himself in sole possession of the school's career hits record after a one-out single in the first inning.
He finished the game with a 3-for-5 performance, scoring twice and drove in the game-tying run in the seventh as CTX came from behind to defeat BU 6-4 to complete the series sweep.
The Blazers jumped out to a 4-0 advantage after a three-run third inning and led through the first four frames.
The Tornados slowly chipped away at the deficit, scratching across a run in the fifth and sixth innings on RBI fielder's choices by Novak and Hill, respectively.
In the seventh, Clouse began CTX's comeback with a leadoff triple, his second of the game, and came home to score one out later on Novak's RBI single to right. The single was Novak's fifth hit of the afternoon and moved him past Bunting and into sole possession of second place on the all-time hits list behind only teammate Leiferman.
After a sac bunt moved the Novak over, the newly crowned all-time hits leader Leiferman added to his record with an RBI single to center to tie the game at 4-all.
Grayson Lee and
Owen Hill followed with back-to-back doubles and the Tornados went in front 6-4.
Michael Smith, meanwhile, came in to pitch in the fourth and shut down the Blazers with four scoreless innings, allowing only one hit while striking out three to pick up the win.
Daniel Lewis took care of the final two frames for CTX to earn his first save of the season and the Tornados opened American Southwest Conference play with a series sweep.
The Tornados finished with double-digit hits once again led by the top four hitters of the lineup, who combined to go 9-for-19 with six RBIs and four runs scored. Clouse, meanwhile, had his second two-hit game of the season and scored two runs in the win.
Concordia Texas will have a quick turnaround when they return home for a non-conference game against Southwestern on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Tornado Field.
