LeTourneau University and No. 16 Concordia split a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Conrad-Vernon Field. The YellowJackets won game one, 2-1, before dropping the nightcap, 1-0.
The two teams were scoreless until the fifth when Concordia scored the first run of the afternoon on a balk by LeTourneau starting pitcher Curt Copeland. The senior from West Palm Beach, Fla. was in control throughout the game, allowing just three hits and striking out six for the win. The win raises Copeland's record to 3-2 on the season.
Facing an 1-0 deficit in the bottom of the seventh, Ryan Bertram was hit by a pitch. Next, Garrett Methvin doubled to right field to put runners on second and third for Dillon Yates.
Yates hit a ground ball to third which an alert Kyle Rodriguez tagged Bertram, who was running at third to put runners on first and second on the fielder's choice. Then, LeTourneau head coach Robin Harriss elected to bring in some speed off the bench in pinchrunners, Jon Riley at second for Methvin and Jordan Argabright at first for Yates.
With one out, Chris Bertram singled to center field to tie the game at 1, scoring Riley from second. Then, Micah Montes walked to load the bases for Kyle Jacobs.
The freshman second baseman took the first pitch from reliever Ryan Jacobs between right and center field, scoring Argabright to third for the game-winning run. It was the second come-from-behind win of the season for the YellowJackets, who took the series opener against Louisiana College in comeback fashion.
The two teams will wrap up the weekend series with a final game on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Conrad-Vernon Field.