Austin, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team used a four-run inning to open up game two as the Cru fought back to salvage a doubleheader split with Concordia in the regular season finale for both teams Saturday afternoon in Austin. UMHB won game two 9-5 after dropping a 5-4 decision in game one. The Cru closes out the regular season at 19-20 overall and 16-14 in American Southwest Conference play. The Tornados finish the regular season at 29-10 overall and 23-6 in ASC play.

UMHB's four-run sixth inning was the difference in the 9-5 game two victory. The Cru opened the scoring with a Tripp Reeves sacrifice fly in the top of the first. Concordia put two on the board in the bottom of that inning, but Matt Mazoch tied the game with an RBI double in the top of the third. The Tornados answered again in the bottom of that inning, but Rob Loewe's two-run homer in the top of the fourth gave UMHB a 4-3 edge. Concordia took the lead back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth before the Cru erupted in the top of the sixth. Loewe's ground-rule double plated the first two runs, Mazoch singled home another run and Heath Spencer drove in the fourth run with an RBI double. Spencer added an insurance run when he doubled and scored on K.J. Stark's sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth. Cory Far worked out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth to close it out. Mikey Bielamowicz earned the win for UMHB to move to 1-1 on the year. Bielamowicz gave up three hits in five scoreless innings of relief work. Loewe had three hits and Stark, Mazoch, Spencer and Dakota Parsons added two apiece as the Cru out hit Concordia 14-6 in the game.

UMHB rallied late only to see the comeback fall just short in a 5-4 loss in game one. The Tornados took a 3-0 lead on Trevor Harlos' three-run double in the bottom of the first. The Cru scored on a double play in the top of the third, but Concordia added single runs in the fourth and fifth to make it a 5-1 game. Reeves and Riley Davis had RBI doubles and Max Conway added an RBI groundout as UMHB pulled to within 5-4 in the top of the sixth. The Cru put the tying and go-ahead runs on base with one out in the top of the seventh, but Cameron Cox came on to post consecutive strikeouts to close out the game and record his first save of the year. Seth Hill took the loss for UMHB to drop to 3-3. Stark had two hits as the Cru once again out hit the Tornados, this time by a 10-5 margin. Harlos had two hits and drove in four runs for the Tornados. Josh Smith picked up the win to move to 7-0 on the season.  

Both teams will now advance to the ASC Championship Tournament next week. UMHB should be the #4 or #5 seed and open the tournament against LeTourneau University at 4:00 PM on Wednesday. The game two loss drops Concordia to the #2 seed. The Tornados will host the ASC Tournament and the full bracket should be released Saturday night or Sunday afternoon.