GEORGETOWN - The Southwestern University baseball team won its fifth game in its last six tries, using a strong pitching performance and timely hitting from junior Colby Schmidt in defeating the Blackburn Beaves 6-2 on Tuesday evening at Rockwell Field.

The Beavers took advantage of some walks in the first to open up a 1-0 lead, but Southwestern responded on a Schmidt sac fly to right, scoring sophomore Daniel Montgomery Jr. to even the game at one a piece.

Schmidt came through big again in the bottom of the third. With runners on first and second thanks to walks and two outs, Schmidt delivered a RBI single through the left side of the infield to put the Pirates ahead 2-1.

The Beavers got another run back in the fifth, thanks to a pair of Southwestern errors, but the Pirates responded with two in the bottom half of the fifth as Schmidt came to the plate again with a pair of runners on and two down and singled both runners home for a 4-1 lead, with all four runs coming off the bat of Schmidt.

Montgomery drove a run in on a fielder's choice in the sixth Southwestern took advantage of a Blackburn error in the seventh to move ahead 6-2. The Pirates used a strong bullpen to close out Blackburn and earn the victory.

Senior Will Preston (W, 1-0) put together a quality start, pitching five complete an dallowing one earned run on two hits to go with three strikeouts. Four different Pirates took the mound and blanked the Beavers for an inning in freshman Jacob Frankel, sophomore Colton Hunter, junior Jordan Scott, and freshman Aaron Clark. The five pitchers combined to strikeout nine with Hunter earning three K's in a 1-2-3 seventh.

Offensively, Schmidt finished 3-for-3 with four RBIs and was the only Pirates with a multi-hit game. Senior Jason McCormack was 0-for-2, but drew three walks and scored three times. Clark drew a pair of walks and scored a run while Montgomery, McCormack, and Clark all had a stolen base.

Steven Diaz led Blackburn with a 2-for-3 game while Isaac Garrett (L, 0-1) was saddled with the loss after 5.1 innings pitched which included six walks. 

Southwestern moves to 6-5 on the season and will prepare to open SCAC play this weekend. It will be a stiff test beginning on Friday at 6 PM in San Antonio as the Pirates will battle No. 5 Trintiy University in a three game series.