GEORGETOWN, Texas — Benjamin Ludwig pitched his third complete game of the season, and the Southwestern baseball team scored seven runs in the bottom of the eighth to trigger the 10-run rule in a 12-2 victory over Austin College. 

Ludwig was solid, holding the Kangaroos scoreless for seven of his eight innings, surrendering six hits with six strikeouts. He showcased great control with only two walks, consistently getting ahead in the count to keep hitters off balance. Combined with a steady Pirate defense, Southwestern retired 15 of the first 18 Austin College batters with a trio of three-up, three-down innings in the first, third, and fourth. 

Southwestern put its first two hitters on to start the second, with Preston Witt getting hit by a pitch and Daniel Montgomery Jr. drawing a walk. Lance Kruse lined out up the middle into an unassisted double play by the Austin College shortstop. 

Montgomery stole second, putting himself in a position to score on Landon Durdin's RBI-double to put the Pirates on the board. Jacob Tanner followed with a high flyball that Austin College right fielder Brandon Hill lost in the sun, scoring Durdin to give Southwestern a 2-0 lead. 

Maxwell Mims opened the bottom of the third inning with a leadoff double down the left-field line. He then stole third base and scored on a throwing error from catcher Cody Goggins on a late throw. The Pirates loaded the bases with no outs to start the fourth, scoring on a fielder's choice to shortstop Jake Webster with the out at second. Southwestern failed to capitalize beyond that, grounding into a double play to end the inning. 

Austin College finally got to Ludwig in the sixth inning, drawing a walk and hitting back-to-back singles to get on the board, scoring on Justin Alphonse's RBI. Goggins reached on a fielder's choice, putting runners on the corners with one out. After Logan Ballard flew out to right, Webster hit an RBI-single to left-center, scoring Zack Mahoney to cut Austin College's deficit in half at 4-2. 

Southwestern added another run in the bottom of the seventh, scoring Tanner on a sacrifice fly to deep right field, then exploded for seven runs in the eighth. 

Ryan Baranowski started the inning with a single up the middle, then Montgomery drew a walk, and Kruse hit an infield single to load the bases. After Durdin went down looking, Tanner drew a walk to score Baranowski, and Ted Lobkowicz hit a two-RBI single up the middle. Mims poured gas on the fire with an RBI single to right. Harris grounded out to shortstop, scoring Lobkowicz, and Bryce Debbs hit an RBI triple to right-center. Baranowski drew a walk in his second at-bat of the inning. A batter later, Debbs scored on a passed ball to end the game. 

Mims hit 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Tanner also had two RBIs and two runs scored. Lobkowicz was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and one run scored. Kruse was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Debbs, Baranowski, and Durdin each had one hit. 

Southwestern improved to 16-15 with an 11-5 conference record. Austin College dropped to 5-18 with a 1-15 conference record after the first game of the doubleheader.