GEORGETOWN, Texas — Long after the final out wrapped up Southwestern's three-game sweep of the University of Dallas Crusaders, the baseball team remained on the field, celebrating one last moment with its senior class.
With three wins decided by an average run differential of 9.33, the outcome of the series was never in doubt. Instead, the weekend's real tension took place roughly 175 miles away, where the University of St. Thomas hosted Centenary in Houston.
Southwestern entered the final series of the regular season needing to sweep Dallas and Centenary to take at least two games for the Pirates to make the SCAC Tournament. After Southwestern and Centenary scored wins on Friday night, the Pirates entered Saturday hopeful.
Game 1: Southwestern 10, Dallas 0
Senior Ben Ludwig started on the mound for Southwestern and was brilliant in his final start at Rockwell Field, throwing a complete-game shutout with 10 strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Ludwig was precise with nearly every pitch, working ahead in the count the entire game to keep the Crusaders off balance while surrendering only four hits with no walks.
Dallas threatened in the second inning, loading the bases with no outs on a leadoff single, error, and perfectly-placed bunt for a single. However, Ludwig maintained his composure, striking out the next three hitters to escape the inning unscathed.
The Pirates plated three runs in the bottom of the inning. Christian Melillo rocketed a shot off the top of the left-field fence that missed going over by inches, settling for an RBI triple to score James Vaquero. After Henry Fisher walked, Preston Witt delivered an RBI single to score Melillo. Following an Alexander Cannata strikeout, senior Ted Lobkowicz had an RBI single through the right side for the 3-0 lead.
Melillo added another RBI in the third with a double down the left-field line, scoring Jacob Tanner.
Southwestern exploded for four runs in the fourth. Witt and Canatta led off with a single and double, putting runners on second and third. Maxwell Mims capitalized with an RBI single to shallow center field.
Trent Raschke followed with a sacrifice fly, then Tanner with an RBI single, advancing to third on an error by the left fielder. Tanner then scored on a wild pitch.
Southwestern added two runs in the sixth inning, scoring on a Fisher RBI single and Matthew Escamilla walk with bases loaded. Ludwig closed the game by striking out the side in order.
Game 2: Southwestern 13, Dallas 4
Dallas took a 1-0 lead in the first before nearby lightning caused a delay of just over one-and-a-half hours.
While waiting in the locker room, all eyes turned to St. Thomas and Centenary, where the Celts took the first game by double digits and opened up an 8-0 lead in the second game by the time Southwestern resumed play.
Carson Brown started the game for Southwestern but completed just two innings, surrendering two runs on four hits and an error. Southwestern scored a run in the bottom of the second on an error.
Bryan Meissner started the third inning, surrendering just one hit with a strikeout and walk, then Southwestern turned to senior Trey Schwarz to start the fourth.
Schwarz struggled this season to recapture his all-conference form from a year ago but was sharp early, inducing two quick outs in the fourth, surrendering a single on a bunt, then striking out Gaspar to get out of the inning.
Southwestern gave its senior run support in the bottom of the fourth, scoring on a Fisher RBI double to right-center, followed by Witt's RBI single to right field. Later in the inning, Mims followed with an RBI single to center to give the Pirates a 4-2 lead.
In the fifth and sixth innings, Schwarz retired the side in order, striking out three of the six hitters he faced, and Raschke added another run for Southwestern with an RBI single to right field to score Witt.
Meanwhile, in Houston, Centenary managed a big rally in the top of the ninth, scoring four runs and putting the tying and go-ahead runs on first and second. St. Thomas was able to clinch the final spot in the SCAC Tournament, however, with an unassisted out a third.
With the stakes lowered, Southwestern head baseball coach JC Bunch pinch-hit senior pitchers Luke Richards, Brandt Daughtry, and Ben Ludwig for Melillo, Fisher, and Witt. The move energized the Southwestern dugout, with the Pirates cheering on their seniors as each got one final moment in a scoreless inning.
Schwarz got in trouble in the eighth inning, surrendering a two-RBI single to cut Southwestern's lead to 5-4. After another Dallas single, Braden Anderson replaced Schwarz, walked a hitter to load the bases, then struck out Gasper to get out of the inning.
With no postseason to play for, Southwestern simply played for each other, scoring eight runs on five hits in the eighth inning. Raschke started the scoring binge with a sacrifice fly to score Lobkowicz, who led the inning off with a walk. Vaquero and Werchan followed with back-to-back RBI singles. Then, Escamilla was hit by a pitch with bases loaded, and Cannata followed with a walk. Lobkowicz finished his final at-bat with an RBI single to center, followed by Mims's two-RBI single to right field to give Southwestern a 13-4 lead.
In the ninth inning, Anderson struck out three of four hitters to end the game and complete the save.
Immediately afterward, Southwestern emptied its dugout with the entire roster embracing its seniors on the field. When Bunch took control of the program, Southwestern baseball hadn't posted a winning season since 2008. However, in four years, this senior class hasn't known a losing season, finishing strong to end the year 20-18.