KERRVILLE, Texas – The Southwestern University baseball team split a pair of games against Schreiner Saturday at Mountaineer Field. The Pirates won the opening game of the doubleheader, 4-1, but dropped the series finale, 8-6.
Will Cates paced Southwestern (4-13) with a 6-for-8 performance in the two games. Cates also scored three runs, stole three bases and drove in a run.
The Pirates will return to action on Tuesday, March 8, in a road tilt with No. 15 Texas-Tyler. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Tyler.
GAME ONE
In the opening contest, Southwestern jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame, as Ben Little doubled and drove in Cates. Ethan Luna followed with a single to bring in Little.
Four innings later Clayton Sparks drove in Little and Cates on a triple to extend the Pirates' advantage to 4-0.
The Mountaineers scored their lone run in the bottom of the fifth on Gio Datiz's RBI single.
Will Preston (2-1) hurled seven innings of five-hit ball, while allowing just one run. Preston also fanned seven to earn the win.
Matt Litz slammed the door with two scoreless innings. Litz struck out three en route to picking up his first save.
GAME TWO
Schreiner took advantage of four Southwestern errors to plate four unearned runs in the nightcap and clinch the series.
The Pirates scored two in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game, 6-6.
However, in the bottom of the panel, the first two batters walked and then an error allowed both to move into scoring position. Sam Pistrui then produced a run-scoring single to give the Mountaineers a 7-6 lead.
In the eighth, Schreiner added another tally after another error was committed by Southwestern.
The Pirates loaded the bases in the final stanza, but Charlie Stewart worked out of the jam by inducing a pop out and then a 4-6-3 double play to close out the contest.
Noah Clark (0-1) took the loss after giving up an unearned run in two-thirds of an inning.
Montana Hammack (3-0) lasted eight innings and gave up six runs (five earned) to collect the win.
– SOUTHWESTERN –