AUSTIN, Texas - Competing in their first non-conference game of the season, the Concordia Texas baseball team defeated Southwestern University by a score of 12-7. Samuel Ortiz powered his first home run of the season at Gardner-Boggs Field on Tuesday. 

The Pirates recorded four hits for three runs in the top of the first. CTX answered immediately with a leadoff homer from Ortiz to left center. Jake Townsend & Kalen Clark would also reach base and score to tie the game through the first.

Concordia would put up a crooked number in the next two frames with three unearned runs in the second and another two unearned in the third. 

Southwestern had a chance to add runs in the top of the third as they had their first two batters get on, but reliever Jake Runnells and the Tornados defense would record three outs to keep the Pirates to only three runs scored.

In the fourth inning, a sacrifice fly by Logan Smith escorted Louis Alonzo to home plate for a 10-3 lead. Southwestern scored a run in the top of the fifth, but a pair of RBIs in the bottom by Townsend & Clark made the score 11-4.

The Pirates recorded a run in the sixth to make it 11-5, but a RBI-single from Gavriel Metersky in his first collegiate at-bat scored Townsend to extend the lead back to seven runs. Down to the final three outs, Southwestern mustered up a pair of runs but CTX would prevail for the non-conference victory. 

Concordia Texas will next compete in their first road games of the season when they head to Shreveport, Louisiana to take on Centenary College starting this Friday, February 27th. First pitch is scheduled for 6pm.

To keep up to date with everything surrounding the CTX baseball program, follow us on social media @ctxathletics and visit athletics.concordia.edu.