GEORGETOWN, Texas - Southwestern scored nine runs in the third inning and earned a come-from-behind, 12-5 victory over Austin College to complete the series sweep Saturday at Rockwell Field.
The Pirates (16-13, 5-4 SCAC) trailed 4-0 heading into the bottom of the third, but sent 12 batters in the plate in the decisive frame. Southwestern tallied seven of its 14 hits in the panel, led by a three-run triple from Ethan Widoff and a two-run homer off the bat of Robert Wehman.
The Bucs added a run in the fifth, as Ethan Hallmark notched a sacrifice fly, driivng in Colby Schmidt from third base.
An inning later, Cole Kelly led off with a homer over the wall in left field. After Wehman reached on a but single, Byron Dowdell II drilled a double down the left-field line, scoring Wehman from first.
The 'Roos (8-22, 3-9 SCAC) picked up the final tally of the game in the eighth, as Scott Gelbart drove in Austin Dudley on a single through the left side of the infield.
Southwestern used three pitchers to clinch the series finale and secure the sweep.
Colton Hunter (3-2) earned the victory after working five innings. The right-hander scattered six hits and four runs (three earned), while striking out three. Hayden Holley hurled two scoreless stanzas, while Jacob Kendra gave up a run in two innings of action.
The Pirates will return to action on Saturday, April 8, in a league doubleheader at Dallas.
SERIES NOTES
• SU has won four straight games, posting a 4-0 record this week.
• The Pirates earned their first sweep since taking all three games against Blackburn (March 17-18).
• Southwestern hit seven home runs in the three-game sweep.
• SU's offense hit .423 (44 for 104) with a .769 slugging percentage during the weekend.
• Cameron Cooper led the Bucs with a .636 batting average (7 for 11).
• Ethan Hallmark hit .545 (6 for 11) with three home runs and six RBIs.
• Hallmark also tallied 15 total bases, which translated to a 1.364 slugging percentage.
• Hallmark increased his hitting streak to 13 games.
• Daniel Montgomery Jr. hit his first career home run in the eighth inning of Friday's second game.
• Cole Kelly belted two homers in the series. He has swatted three round-trippers in the last four contests.
• Robert Wehman hit his second career home run (a two-run shot) on Saturday. It was his first since March 24, 2015, when he hit a solo shot against Mary Hardin-Baylor.
• Southwestern's pitching staff limited Austin College to a .274 batting average.
• Hayden Holley logged two scoreless appearances. He struck out four in four innings of work.
• Jeremy Rice has won his last three starts. In those three starts he has posted a 1.29 ERA and 12 strikeouts.
• Jacob Kendra fanned seven batters in four innings out of the bullpen this weekend.
- SOUTHWESTERN -
Colby Schmidt recaps Southwestern's three-game sweep of Austin College. #HereWeGoBucs☠ pic.twitter.com/gSGmMAaqme
— Southwestern BB (@SUPiratesBB) April 1, 2017