Cowboys Drop Series Opener With Concordia
By: Eric Boynton
Updated: March 15, 2013
ABILENE, Texas -- Hardin-Simmons' baseball team
dropped the opener of its American Southwest Conference Series against
Concordia, 6-1, on Friday night at Hunter Field.
The game was a
pitcher's duel threw the first six innings.
Concordia got on the
board in the first inning when Brent Schaekel reached on an error to start the
game and then back-to-back walks loaded the bases with no outs. Andrew Burns hit
a sacrifice fly to center field and then HSU starter Jordan Dotson got Brandon
Hollier to hit into a double play to escape further damage.
Dotson (3-1) worked
the first five innings and did not allow an earned run while giving up just two
hits. However, the Cowboy offense could not get him a run and he left with a 1-0
deficit after five innings and 100 pitches.
Bristan Clingman was
solid for the Tornados as he went four and one-third innings and did not allow
an earned run. He left in the fifth after a single and sac bunt to start the
inning. Austin Rupert relieved him and went the rest of the way to move to 3-1
on the year. Rupert worked four and two-third innings and struck out eight
batters while allowing just one unearned run.
Concordia pushed the
lead to 4-0 in the seventh when Tyler Bain walked and Quinn Guest singled. Brent
Schaekel drove Bain in with an RBI single. Guest and Schaekel then pulled off a
double steal and the throw by Chris Matthews went into left field to allow Guest
to score and Casey Skalaban squeeze bunted Schakel home to make it 4-0.
HSU scored in the
seventh on an RBI single by Caleb Jacques. Concordia added a pair of insurance
runs in the eighth on a pair of bases loaded walks.
Trey Thompson had two
of the five HSU hits and Schaekel had two of the eight hits for
Concordia.
The Cowboys are now
12-8 on the year and 2-2 in ASC play. Concordia improved to 12-11 overall and
4-0 in ASC play. The teams will play a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.
