GEORGETOWN – After more than four hours of baseball Southwestern was able to push three runs across in the 13th inning to earn a 9-8 victory over Texas Lutheran in SCAC action Friday night.
Seemingly being on the verge of being well over the .500 mark, the Pirate baseball team showed the steps they have taken. High baseball IQ plays were scattered all over the field Friday night as the ball bounced in Southwestern's favor en route to an extra inning win.
The Pirates improved to 6-21 on the season and 3-7 in league play and have the chance to win their first league series. Texas Lutheran fell to 17-9 overall and 5-2 in conference action as Southwestern was able to come through in extra innings.
With the bases loaded Colten Shea scored on a wild pitch to tie the game as Charlie St. Clair rounded third and slid home safely for the winning run.
The final inning started when Will Burks walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. Shea and St. Clair would also walk to load the bases before a balk pushed Burks across the plate making it a one-run game.
After taking a 6-4 lead in fifth inning the Pirates were held scoreless until the 13th inning.
Texas Lutheran battled back with single runs in the seventh and eighth when Carl Mueller came on in relief to hold the Bulldogs at bay before giving way to Brett Marcom in the 12th inning. Mueller pitched 4.1 innings allowing one run and three hits, but was able to work out of jams as TLU left seven runners on base during his relief appearance.
Starter Joseph Koch was solid pitching seven innings and scattering nine hits while allowing five runs and four earned. He also struck out two earning a tough no-decision.
St. Clair and Zach Lynch each finished 2-for-5 as St. Clair added a RBI and extended his hitting streak to nine games. Chase Allen also extended his season long hitting streak to nine games as the Pirates stole six bases in the win.
The Pirates snapped an eight game losing streak in one-run games with the come-from-behind win and have also won two of their last three.
The Bulldogs were led by Tony Gennusa who finished 2-for-7 with an RBI, two runs and one walk.
TLU also got a solid relief effort from Conner Capdau going five innings and allowing just two hits and two runs while striking out four.
Southwestern and Texas Lutheran return to Rockwell Field Saturday for a double-header starting at 1 p.m.