AUSTIN, Texas—The University of Texas at Tyler Baseball (7-7) dropped both contests in a doubleheader at No. 24 Concordia University Texas (13-1) Friday evening. The first game saw impressive defense and pitching by both teams with the Tornados grabbing a 1-0 win. In game two, both teams saw their offense come around as Concordia earned an 8-4 win.
 
The Patriots tried to get off to a fast start when senior outfielder Josh Burns (Center, Texas) sent a double down the left field line as the game's first batter. He would eventually be stranded at third base with the game turning out to be a defensive battle the rest of the way.
 
Senior right-handed pitcher Nate Imig (Leander, Texas) got the start on the mound for UT Tyler and faced the minimum over the first two innings. He struck out one batter in the second inning and got some help from his defense with a double play in both innings.
 
In the third inning, the Tornados managed a baserunner while the Patriots had one of their own in the top of the fourth courtesy of a single by senior outfielder Graham Welch (Plano, Texas) Both teams went down in order in the fifth with Imig fanning two Concordia batters.
 
The offense for both squads began to pick up in the sixth inning beginning with senior infielder Henry Sanchez (San Antonio, Texas) who doubles to lead off the inning for UT Tyler. The Patriots could not bring Sanchez home and the Tornados took the lead in the home half of the inning. They plated the lone run of the contest after a leadoff single. Despite getting a baserunner in the top of the seventh, UT Tyler could not extend the seven-inning opener of the doubleheader.  
 
The different Patriots picked up a hit in the ball game including Burns, Sanchez, and sophomore outfielder Tanner Roach (Whitehouse, Texas) An unearned run came around to score on Imig who pitched the first 5.2 innings and struck out six. Freshman right-hander Matthew McMillan (Pflugerville) also pitched in relief, getting the final out in the bottom of the sixth.
 
A couple of big innings were the story of game-two of the doubleheader. Concordia began the game with a three-run bottom of the first inning. They scored three runs to take the early lead but then went down in order during the bottom of the second inning.
 
It was the Patriots' turn for a big inning during the top of the third. Sophomore catcher Caden Ledbetter (Cibolo, Texas) began the inning by reaching on a walk and was followed with a double to left field by Sanchez. A fielding error allowed two runs to score, bringing the Patriots within one. With a runner at third base, junior outfielder Kolton Forsythe (Oak Ridge, Texas) doubled down the right field line to plate another run. He was followed by senior infielder Blake Wilson (Midlothian, Texas) who gave UT Tyler the lead, 4-3, with an RBI-single.
 
Concordia scored a run of their own in the bottom of the third to tie it and then regained the lead with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth inning. A baserunner did reach for UT Tyler in each of the final four innings and advanced to scoring position in three of those frames, but could not find a run the rest of the way. The Tornados were able to add to their lead, eventually capturing an 8-4 victory to end the day.
 
Along with the Forsythe and Sanchez doubles, Wilson and senior infielder Blake Maddox (Jacksonville, Texas) also picked up hits for the Patriots in the second game. Junior right-handed pitcher Austin Schneider (Keller, Texas) got the start and pitched 3.2 innings. He surrendered five runs but struck out seven of his 20 batters faced. Senior right-hander Turner Given (Spring, Texas) pitched 2.1 innings in relief while junior left-hander Ethan Cherry (Dallardsville, Texas) was on the mound for the final two innings.
 
The Patriots will look to end the series with a victory on Saturday in the series finale set for 1 p.m.