March 1, 2009
Box Score
SHERMAN, Texas - The Southwestern University baseball team jump out to an early lead and held off a late inning rally came up beat Austin College 7-5 on Sunday afternoon. The Pirates improve to 8-9 on the year and 2-3 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.
The 'Roos struck first in the bottom of the second when Bobby Schleizer doubled home Jordan Robison to make it 1-0, but Southwestern struck back in the top of the third with four unearned runs to take a three run lead. After a throwing error allowed Matthew Clark to get on base to lead off the inning and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Belski, John Wooten and Ricky Gomez hit back to back two out doubles to plate three more runs and take a 4-1 lead.
The lead grew to 7-1 after the Pirates got an RBI double from Michael Murphy in the top of the fourth and Wooten homered and Clark hit an RBI single in the fifth. In the bottom of the sixth the 'Roos got one run back when Schleizer launched a solo home run to right center.
Bennett Herrick got things going in the bottom of the eighth with a leadoff double, and after Robison drew a walk Schleizer roped another double to score Herrick from second. After Lee Cohen drew a walk to load the bases Patrick Ray reached on a fielders' choice and scored Robison from third. Schleizer came home on a wild pitch to cut it to a two run game heading into the ninth inning.
Christian Curtis set the Pirates down in order in the top of the ninth and the 'Roos looked to be in position to chip away at the Southwestern lead with a runner on, but for the second straight day the Pirates managed to get the 'Roos to ground into a double play to end the game.
Tyler Steed took the loss for Austin College, surrendering seven runs, three earned, on 10 hits in 4.2 innings of work while striking out five.
Wooten went 2-for-5 with a pair of runs batted in while Murphy and Clark each had two hits and scored twice for the Pirates. Wes Willis earned the win for Southwestern, giving up three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts in 7.0 innings of work. Alan Lowry picked up the save for the Pirates, pitching 1.0 innings while walking one and giving up no hits in the ninth.
Austin College steps out of conference on Tuesday when they travel to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor for a single game starting at 1:00 pm.
