AUSTIN, Texas – The Concordia Texas baseball team saved the best for their final at-bat, scoring two runs in a come-from-behind 3-2 win as the team split a doubleheader against McMurry on Friday at Tornado Field.
The Tornados returned to conference play, opening a three-game series against War Hawks with a doubleheader.
In the first game, CTX staged a late comeback in their final at-bat, scoring two runs, including the winning run on a McM fielding error to win it 3-2.
The War Hawks opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the opening frame to take a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning,
Bret Leiferman, who entered the night with at least a hit in eight of his last 10 games, launched his third home run of the season, a solo shot over the left field wall to cut the deficit in half.
For the next five innings though, CTX went hitless, and trailed 2-1 heading into the final frame.
In the seventh, the Tornados found their swing as
Casen Novak led off with a single, followed by a Leiferman double into the gap. McMurry intentionally walked
Grayson Lee to load the bases with no one out.
Marcus Thach tied the game up at 2-all on a sac fly to right and
Chris Williams, in to pinch hit, laid down a bunt and Leiferman raced home, scoring on a War Hawks fielding error to win it 3-2.
Leiferman finished with two of the team's three hits, an RBI and two runs scored.
Meanwhile, on the mound,
Easton Migl settled down after a rough first inning to toss six frames, striking out a career-high 10 hitters.
Daniel Lewis picked up his second win of the season, entering in relief to throw a scoreless seventh inning.
In the second game of the night, CTX nearly pulled off a second straight come-from-behind win, drawing within one run in the ninth, but fell short, losing 3-2.
McMurry drew blood first, scoring the game's first run in the fourth to take a 1-0 advantage.
The Tornados were quick to respond though, pushing across a run in the bottom half of the inning.
Shawn Huber led off with a single and reached second a sac bunt. After a wild pitch to advance to third, Huber tied the game up at 1-all, scoring on
Ryan Clouse's RBI ground out.
The War Hawks retook the lead in the following frame, scratching across two runs for a 3-1 lead.
Concordia Texas would have a runner in scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings, but were unable to take advantage and went to the ninth, trailing 3-1.
After two quick outs,
Aaron Gomez extended the game, working a walk.
Brandon Goynes reached on a fielding error and the Tornados loaded the bases thanks to a Novak hit by pitch. Next, Leiferman walked on four pitches, scoring Gomez to cut it to 3-2.
Concordia Texas was unable to continue the inning though, as Lee went down on strikes, ending the game in a loss.
Six different Tornados finished the game with a hit, including a two-hit performance by
Shawn Huber, while Leiferman had a hit and pair of walks.
The Tornados will go for the series win on Saturday, hosting the War Hawks in the finale at noon at Tornado Field.
