AUSTIN, Texas – The Concordia Texas baseball team and the Clint Mokry era got off to a promising start as a the Tornados took down Pacific Lutheran 8-4 and Hardin-Simmons 10-8 in day one of the Concordia Classic. Newcomer Chris Morrow homered once in each game at the newly named Gardner-Boggs Field on Friday.
GAME ONE: W, 8-4 vs. Pacific Lutheran
The Concordia Texas tornados opened up their season in an impressive matchup against Pacific Lutheran, with the tornadoes earning 8 runs out of 11 hits and no errors. Dakota Palmer made a good impression during the first six outings, striking out a total of six batters.
Pacific Lutheran scored the opening run, and Morrow notched a ground out RBI that scored Julian Swift to even the game in the bottom of the first. The second and third inning saw little action between the two sides until Morrow launched the first home run of the 2023 season toward right field, scoring three runs in total and giving CTX a 4–1 lead.It wasn't until the top of the sixth inning that Pacific Lutheran was able to score three runs in total, making the final score 4–4.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Landon Hyle knocked a strong grounder past the shortstop, scoring Morrow with an RBI. Later in the inning, EJ Sanchez notched a RBI-bunt to score Brandon Goynes and make the score 6-4.
On the pitching mound, Brady Staedtler settled down and retired 6 straight batters in the sixth and seventh innings. In the bottom of the eighth, CTX increased their lead by capitalizing on two errors made to score in Morrow and Bailey Figueroa.
Noah Kelley helped put on the finishing touches as he struckout the leadoff batter and helped bring the ninth inning to a speedy end. Shortly after, the Tornados recorded back-to-back outs, one on a grounder and the other on a pop fly to right field to secure the 8-4 victory.
BOXSCORE STANDOUTS
Chris Morrow: 4 RBIs, 3-run homer
Julian Swift: 3-4 AB, 2 Runs
Landon Hyle: 2 Hits, 1 RBI
Dakota Palmer: 5.0 IP, 6 Ks
GAME TWO: W, 10-8 vs. Hardin Simmons
The Cowboys tallied the first three runs of the game in the bottom of the first. The Tornados exploded for six runs in the third as Morrow opened up the scoring with a RBI-single to centerfield to score Swift. After Aaron Gomez scored off a Landon Hyle RBI, Brandon Goynes laid down a beautiful bunt-single to make the bases loaded. Zach Seigrist was then hit by a pitch to even the score, and Concordia capitalized on a one-out error for three more runs to make it 6-3.
In the top of the fourth, Morrow homered to right field once again. Later in the inning with runners on the corners, Seigrist converted a bunt-single to bring Hyle home. Matthew Armes then got a groundout RBI to help Goynes round the bases for a 9-3 lead.
Hardin-Simmons posted three runs over the next two innings, but a RBI-single by Swift pushed the Tornados lead to 10-6. The Cowboys would score two unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth, but CTX would hold firm to win their second game of the day.
BOX SCORE STANDOUTS
Chris Morrow: 4-6 AB, 2 RBIs, 1 HR
Zach Seigrist: 3-4 AB, 2 Runs, 2 RBIs
Brandon Goynes: 3-4 AB, 2 Runs
Jake Lancaster: 3 Ks (Game-High), Win
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the CTX baseball program, follow us on social media (@ctxathletics) and visit athletics.concordia.edu.
