MARSHALL, Texas - Southwestern swept a doubleheader Saturday to claim the weekend series with East Texas Baptist at Woods Field. The Pirates won the opening game of the day 11-7 and clinched the set with a 9-8 victory in the nightcap.
Southwestern (6-8), which snapped a seven-game losing streak, hit three home runs and collected 27 knocks in the two games.
The Pirates plated five runs in the second inning of the first contest to take a 5-1 advantage.
The Bucs took a 6-3 lead into the fifth before erupting for three more runs, thanks to Cameron Cooper's two-run double and a run-scoring single from Ben Little.
Two frames later, Byron Dowdell II and Ethan Hallmark hit back-to-back home runs on consecutive pitches to extend the lead to 11-3.
The Tigers (9-6) scored four runs in the bottom of the stanza, including three on a homer, but the rally was quelled to end the contest.
Cooper, Dowdell and Little all tallied three hits in the game, while Cooper and Dowdell drove in three runs apiece.
Jacob Kendra (1-0) picked up the win in relief. The right-hander tossed 2.1 scoreless innings and fanned three batters.
In the nightcap, East Texas Baptist scored two runs in the opening inning. However, Southwestern answered with two in the second to pull even.
The Pirates exploded for four runs in the third inning, including a two-run homer from Little.
The Tigers plated three in the bottom fo the frame and added another in the fourth to tie the game.
Both teams tallied a run in the sixth and ETBU took a 7-6 lead with a score in the seventh.
Southwestern reclaimed the advantage in the eighth after Little drove in a run on an infield single and Hallmark scored on a passed ball.
Hayden Holley (2-0) hurled four innings and allowed only one hit and a run to close out the game and earn the win.
The Pirates tallied 13 hits in the finale. Little was 2 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs.
Southwestern will return home to host Concordia Texas on Tuesday night. First pitch of the non-conference game is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Rockwell Field.
SERIES NOTES
• After posting only six hits in the series opener, the Pirates erupted for 27 combined in the final two games.
• Southwestern's team batting average raised 10 points to .291 following this weekend's offensive explosion.
• The Pirates hit three home runs this weekend, which raised their season total to five.
• Jacob Kendra logged his third scoreless relief appearance on Saturday. He has allowed only one earned run in his last six relief stints.
• Byron Dowdell II batted .600 (6 for 10) in the series with two doubles, a homer and three RBIs. He also scored six times.
• Ben Little hit .500 (7 for 14) with a homer and five RBIs in the three-game set. His batting average improved to .361 on the year.
• Hayden Holley made his team-leading eighth appearance on Saturday. The senior left-hander is 2-0 with a 3.05 ERA on the season.
• Southwestern's pitching staff racked up 26 strikeouts over the weekend. The Pirates have amassed 114 punchouts this spring (8.14 per game).
- SOUTHWESTERN -
BACK- pic.twitter.com/he4XRaPtQR
— Southwestern BB (@SUPiratesBB) March 4, 2017
TO-BACK pic.twitter.com/IDuIYNLd1e
— Southwestern BB (@SUPiratesBB) March 4, 2017
SEE. YOU. LATER. Two-run homer for Ben Little. Pirates lead ETBU 5-2 in third inning. #HereWeGoBucs☠️ pic.twitter.com/1PgYsXn72t
— Southwestern BB (@SUPiratesBB) March 4, 2017