Southwestern holds tight to a half game lead for fourth place in the SCAC after splitting Sunday senior day action with Centenary.
Centenary struck first with one in the second, but Southwestern responded and took a lead they would never relinquish in game one. The Pirates scored two with both seniors, Chase Allen and Jake Pawelek, driving in the runs in the inning.
Southwestern was able to add some insurance with one run in each the fifth and sixth before pinch hitter Jason McCormack drove home Colten Shea and Clayton Sparks to put the Pirates up 6-1 heading into the final frame.
Centenary scored one and loaded the bases in the ninth, but Riley Wayland entered with the swagger he has possessed all season to close out the game for the Pirates, earning a save in the process.
Ethan Luna led at the plate, going 3-5 with one run scored. Jacob Kendra earned the win with a great outing starting on the mound. Kendra went six innings, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out two and walking none.
Will Cates opened game two with a triple but was unable to be brought home as Centenary made a double play to end the threat. Robert Wehman posted a triple of his own in the second, but this time the Pirates took advantage as Pawelek singled to put the Pirates up 1-0.
Southwestern had a chance to extend their lead in the sixth with bases loaded and just one out, but Centenary's Williams made a clutch double play to get the Gents out of the inning unscathed.
The Gents tied it in the seventh, taking advantage of a rare Pirate error in the game. Quintanilla made it to third on a failed pickoff attempt and was brought home on a double to right center from Carson.
As the game moved into the eighth, Centenary put runners at the corners with one out after a perfectly executed hit-and-run by Ian Graham and Zapata collected the RBI to put CC on top 2-1.
Southwestern didn't quite have the magic in the ninth as they dropped the close contest 2-1. Will Preston suffered the loss despite the strong start on the mound. He allowed just two runs, one earned on nine hits while walking one and striking out six.
Cates led at the plate and was the only Pirate to record multiple hits, going 2-4.
Southwestern falls to 17-18 on the year and 7-8 in conference play while Centenary improves to 19-13 overall and 12-3 in the SCAC. The Pirates remain in fourth place, holding tight to a slight half game lead over Austin College. SU returns to non-conference play at Hardin-Simmons on Tuesday in Abilene before closing the regular season with a three-game series at Schreiner beginning on Friday at 6 pm.