TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler baseball clinched its first Lone Star Conference regular season championship in program history on Friday, sweeping a doubleheader against St. Mary's with a 3–0 shutout in game one before rallying for a 6–4 win in game two. With the victories, the Patriots improved to 40-9 overall and secured hosting rights for the LSC Tournament, continuing a historic season in which they have not dropped a single conference series.
UT Tyler combined dominant pitching with timely hitting across both contests, holding the Rattlers scoreless in the opener before overcoming an early deficit in the nightcap to complete the sweep.
GAME ONE
The Patriots relied on elite pitching and opportunistic offense to secure a 3–0 victory in game one of the day, officially clinching the Lone Star Conference regular season title in the process.
After a quiet first inning from both sides, UT Tyler broke through in the second. Cole Ketzner worked a leadoff walk and advanced into scoring position before Luke Smith delivered the first big hit of the game, lining an RBI single through the right side to give the Patriots a 1–0 lead. Later in the inning, Drew Schmidt advanced to third on a wild pitch, allowing Spencer Simpson to bring him home with a sacrifice fly to extend the advantage to 2–0.
From there, the Patriots leaned heavily on their pitching staff. Starter Julio Garcia controlled the game from the mound, working efficiently through traffic while keeping St. Mary's off the scoreboard. The Rattlers threatened multiple times, including putting runners in scoring position in the third, fourth, and fifth innings, but Garcia consistently delivered key outs to strand runners and maintain the shutout.
UT Tyler added an important insurance run in the sixth inning. After Tanner Hornback reached on an error and moved into scoring position, Smith came through once again with his second RBI single of the game, pushing the lead to 3–0.
Smith led the Patriots offensively with a 2-for-3 performance and two RBIs, accounting for the majority of UT Tyler's production at the plate. Hornback, Schmidt, Mason, and Jewell each contributed hits as the Patriots totaled six on the afternoon.
Garcia was the story on the mound, earning his eighth win of the season with 6.1 scoreless innings. He scattered seven hits while striking out five and working around multiple jams to preserve the shutout. Coleson Abel entered in the seventh and shut the door, recording the final two outs to secure the win and his second save of the year.
With the victory, UT Tyler officially clinched the Lone Star Conference regular season championship, marking a milestone moment for the program and guaranteeing the Patriots home-field advantage for the upcoming conference tournament.
GAME TWO
UT Tyler completed the doubleheader sweep with a 6–4 victory in game two, using a four-run fourth inning to erase an early deficit and take control.
The Patriots struck first in the opening inning when Drew Schmidt reached and later scored on an RBI double from Luke Smith, giving UT Tyler an early 1–0 lead. However, St. Mary's responded immediately in the bottom half, capitalizing on timely hitting to score three runs and take a 3–1 advantage.
After a pair of scoreless innings, UT Tyler began to chip away at the deficit. Ryan Walker provided a spark in the fourth inning, launching a solo home run to left field to cut the lead to 3–2. Later in the inning, the Patriots took advantage of defensive miscues by the Rattlers. With runners in motion, an error allowed two runs to score, flipping the momentum and giving UT Tyler a 4–3 lead. Schmidt followed with an RBI single to cap the inning and extend the lead to 5–3.
St. Mary's responded in the fifth inning with an RBI single to trim the deficit to 5–4, but the Patriots bullpen held firm down the stretch.
UT Tyler added a crucial insurance run in the seventh. Simpson delivered a key double to put pressure on the defense, and another St. Mary's error allowed the Patriots to push their lead to 6–4.
Schmidt led the offensive effort with a standout 3-for-4 performance, consistently setting the tone at the top of the lineup. Walker added the home run, while Smith contributed an RBI and Simpson delivered a key extra-base hit in the late innings.
On the mound, UT Tyler used a combination of arms to secure the victory. Tyler Puckett entered the third inning in relief and stabilized the game. He earned the win with three strong innings, allowing just one run while keeping the Patriots within striking distance.
Noah Lindt closed out the game in dominant fashion, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings while striking out five of the six batters he faced to earn his first save of the season and seal the sweep.
UT Tyler's doubleheader sweep not only secured the conference title but further emphasized the consistency that has defined the Patriots' season. With the series already in hand, UT Tyler will look to complete the sweep tomorrow afternoon as they continue their push toward postseason play.
