SEGUIN, Texas -- Southwestern University will play for the conference championship for the first time 2004 after defeating Texas Lutheran University, 16-2, in an elimination game Sunday afternoon at Katt-Isbel Field. Official Website l Bracket l Postgame Interview w/ Will Cates & Coach R.J. Thomas
Will Cates hit home runs on the first two pitches he saw as Southwestern jumped on Texas Lutheran early and often - pounding out 18 hits and scoring runs in every inning except one (fifth).
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Southwestern scored three runs in the first inning and never trailed.
- Southwestern's Jacob Kendra went the distance, allowing two earned runs on eight hits in 7.0 innings. It was the junior's second win of the season.
- Texas Lutheran left 10 runners on base compared to eight for Southwestern.
- Cates and Ethan Luna both had nine total bases in the game.
- Texas Lutheran used five different pitchers in the game, with no one going more than 2.0 innings.
SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Ethan Luna: 4-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 4 RBI, 3 runs, 1 BB
- Will Cates: 3-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 4 runs
- Tyler Bludau: 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 runs, 1 BB
- Colten Shea: 2-5, 1 RBI, 2 runs
- Jacob Kendra: 7.0 innings, 8 hits, 2 R, 2 K, 3 BB
TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Riley Schaefer: 2-4, 1 run
- Eric Rabinowitz: 1-3, 1 RBI
- Keaton Bohrmann: 0-4, 1 RBI
NOTABLES
- Southwestern will play for the SCAC title for the first time since 2004.
- This will be the seventh time Southwestern and Trinity have played for the SCAC baseball championship - including a four-year stretch where the two played every year (1997-2000). In the previous six times the two have met, Southwestern walked away as champions four times.
- Trinity and Southwestern lead all active schools in SCAC baseball championships. Trinity has 11 (tops among all schools) and Southwestern has five (sixth among all schools).
UP NEXT
The Pirates (18-24) advance to the championship round where they will play Trinity (34-7). That game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. Southwestern needs to win the first game to force a second and deciding game (which would be played on Monday).