GEORGETOWN, TEXAS - Pirate baseball met a tough first pitcher on a chilly night at Rockwell Family Field on Friday. The Rhode Island Anchormen pitcher dished out ten strikeouts along with one earned run and three hits to keep the Pirates to their only two runs in seven innings. 

The Pirates held a 2-1 lead before the seventh inning, where the Anchormen scored two runs to take a one-run lead. Despite their best effort, the Pirates could not eclipse the Anchorman, who scored another run in the top of the ninth to make it 4-2 and close the game with a win. 

With better weather on Saturday afternoon and the strongest Rhode Island pitcher out of the way, Southwestern baseball emerged energized and ready to compete. 

It was the Pirates pitcher Gregory Ferguson's turn to take over the mound, putting up a great effort to limit the Anchormen to only two runs in the contest. Ferguson notched nine strikeouts in seven innings and 29 batters faced before Ryan Corbett came in and recorded a save in his stat column. 

A run in the second, third, and fourth inning for Southwestern would be all they needed to win the game and tie the series at 1-1. A tremendous defensive effort from both teams kept the score to just 3-2 as the fans would be treated to great baseball for all three games of the series. Landon Durdin played a huge part in the Pirate defense as he was part of a miraculous four double-plays in the three games against Rhode Island.  

Both offenses came alive in the final game of the series, with eight Pirates recorded hits and five driving in RBIs, Josh Endo went on to lead the team with two hits and two RBIs. 

The score sat at 4-2 in favor of the Pirates at the start of the sixth inning, but the Anchormen returned with a three-run inning to take the lead at 5-4. However, Southwestern answered right back with two runs of their own to retake the lead at 6-5. Southwestern pitcher Stephen Rutherford and the Pirate defense were rock solid throughout the rest of the game and the Pirates would add another run in the bottom of the eighth as insurance and secure the 2-1 series win over Rhode Island. 

Southwestern will face the UT-Dallas Comets in an early week game on Tuesday, February 28th at 6:00 PM.