GEORGETOWN, Texas — Southwestern put together its best offensive weekend of the season, scoring 31 runs over two wins in today's doubleheader against the University of St. Thomas Celts.
Game 1 - Southwestern 16, St. Thomas 6
Southwestern got a dominant performance from starting pitcher Travis Harvey and gave him more than enough run support in a 16-6 victory over St. Thomas.
The Pirates set the tone early, with Harvey striking out two in the top of the first and retiring three of the first four hitters he faced. Southwestern went to work in the bottom of the inning, scoring five runs off three hits.
Ted Lobkowicz led the inning off with a walk, and Maxwell Mims reached on a bunt, setting up an RBI-single to right-center by Lance Kruse. Jacob Tanner reached on an error in centerfield that would have been a sacrifice fly, scoring Mims. Daniel Montgomery followed with a three-run blast to give the Pirates a 5-0 lead after the first inning.
Southwestern poured in eight more runs in the third, loading the bases with a walk, error, and single to open the inning, then scoring on an Alexander Cannata walk, then again when Lobkowicz was hit by a pitch, followed by a three-RBI triple from Mims and RBI-single from Kruse. The Pirates loaded the bases again with two out, then scored two more on an error by St. Thomas's shortstop.
Kruse added two more for the Pirates in the bottom of the fourth, hitting a two-RBI single through the right side to core Lobkowicz and Sam Castillo.
The Pirates cleared the bench in the sixth, adding another run in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI-single to leftfield from Bryce Debbs.
Harvey did the rest of the heavy lifting, going seven innings with only four hits and two unearned runs--scoring one in the third and fifth innings—while striking out 14. St. Thomas scored four earned runs on relief pitcher Bryan Meissner, who gave way to Ruben Garcia for the final 1.2 innings to end the game.
Game 2 - Southwestern 15, St. Thomas 4
Daniel Montgomery Jr. continued with a breakthrough day, hitting 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored, hitting his second home run of the day with a solo blast in the seventh, leading the Pirates to a 15-4 win. The Pirates compiled their 15 runs on 11 hits, seven walks, and by taking advantage of three errors.
St. Thomas got on the scoreboard first, getting an RBI-single from Parker Edwards in the top of the first. Southwestern responded quickly with six runs in the bottom of the inning. Jacob Tanner scored Maxwell Mims on an RBi-double to left-center, and Preston Witt followed with an RBI-single up the middle. Alexander also had a two-RBI double, and Sam Castillo hit an RBI-single to third. Mims closed out the scoring binge with an RBI-single to rightfield for the 6-1 lead.
Kruse added two more for Southwestern in the fourth, hitting an RBI-double to left-center, scoring later in the inning on a wild pitch.
After Montgomery's solo shot in the seventh, the Pirates exploded for six more runs in the eighth. The Pirates opened the inning by loading the bases off a hit batter, a Ted Lobkowicz single, and Mims walk. After Kruse went down swinging, Jacob Tanner hit a two-RBI single to right field. Mims and Tanner later scored on a wile pitch and passed ball, and Alexander Cannata hit a two-RBI single to right, triggering the 10-run rule.
Southwestern got a solid performance from starting pitcher Benjamin Ludwig, who went seven innings with only two of the four runs surrendered earned. He also had eight strikeouts to just two walks.
With the two wins on Saturday, Southwestern won its first conference series 2-1. The Pirates improve to 4-9 for the season and 2-1 in conference play. St. Thomas falls to 12-3 with a 1-2 conference record. The Pirates will hit the road on Tuesday for a game against Hardin-Simmons at 6:00 p.m.