AUSTIN, Texas – Trailing by one run in the bottom of the ninth,
Dalton Watts launched a walk-off two-run homerun, and the Concordia Texas baseball team secured a 6-5 win over Hardin-Simmons in the series opener Friday.
The Tornados took an early lead in the game before HSU battled back and eventually took a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth. Requiring some late-game heroics, Concordia Texas found it in the bat of Watts, and he delivered the walk-off blow with a blast over the left field wall.
Otto Franz also picked up two RBIs in the game, and Mason Dubois tallied a pair of hits.
Colton Hunter came away with a no decision after providing a solid start on the mound, tossing five innings of three-run baseball and striking out five along the way.
Concordia Texas took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after
Otto Franz poked an RBI single through the right side, bringing Watts around to score.
The Tornados tacked another run on in the second inning as
Jayden Hernandez provided an RBI single, extending the CTX lead to 2-0.
In the bottom of the third, Franz drove in another run with an RBI groundout, and
Kalen Moreno put down an RBI squeeze bunt, extending the lead to 4-0.
In the following frame, HSU cut the lead in half with a two-run homer, bringing the score to 4-2.
Hardin-Simmons continued to cut into the lead in top of the fifth, making it 4-3 after an RBI groundout.
Easton Migl provided a solid outing in relief, entering the game in the sixth and suffering only one baserunner until the ninth inning. Migl picked up the win and struck out four in four innings of work.
In the top of the ninth, HSU evened the score with a leadoff homer and eventually took the lead, taking advantage of two CTX errors in the frame. Heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Tornados trailed 5-4.
In the following frame,
Aaron Gomez worked a one-out walk, bringing Watts to the plate as the tying run where he would deliver the walk-off homerun and secure the 6-5 game one win.
Concordia Texas will conclude the series with a doubleheader Saturday, beginning the first game at noon and concluding the day with a senior day ceremony following the series finale.
