TYLER, TEXAS – The UT Tyler baseball program completed a remarkable Saturday comeback run through the South Central Regional, defeating Angelo State twice at Irwin Field to capture the regional championship and advance to the South Central Super Regional hosted by Colorado Mesa.
Facing elimination entering the day, the Patriots responded with two dominant performances, rolling past the Rams 13-3 in the opening game before securing the title with a 5-0 shutout victory in the winner-take-all finale. UT Tyler combined for 18 runs across the two games while the pitching staff allowed just one extra-base hit in 18 innings of work.
In game one, the Patriots wasted no time taking control offensively.
After stranding three runners in the second inning, UT Tyler erupted for five runs in the third to grab momentum for good. Brock Bearden opened the inning with a single before Tanner Hornback moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Cole Ketzner was then hit by a pitch before Drew Schmidt lined an RBI single into left-center to plate the first run of the game.
Kaston Mason followed with an RBI single through the right side before Spencer Simpson and Bryce Jewell added consecutive RBI singles to extend the lead to 4-0. Connor Clark capped the rally with another RBI single up the middle as the Patriots sent nine hitters to the plate and built a commanding five-run advantage.
UT Tyler added four more runs in the fifth inning to create separation. Luke Smith and Simpson opened the inning with back-to-back singles before Clark delivered a two-run single through the left side to push the lead to 7-0. Ketzner later added an RBI single and Schmidt brought home another run with a sacrifice fly to stretch the advantage to 9-1.
Clark struck again in the sixth inning, ripping a two-run double into the left-center gap to extend the lead to 11-1. The Patriots added two more runs in the ninth behind an RBI double from Drew Bourgeois and an RBI groundout from Luke Smith to finish off the 13-3 victory.
Offensively, UT Tyler totaled 17 hits in game one. Clark led the way with three hits and five RBIs, while Smith recorded three hits and scored twice. Schmidt finished with two hits and two RBIs, and Simpson, Jewell, Mason and Bourgeois all drove in runs during the offensive outburst.
On the mound, Coleson Abel delivered the defining performance of his Patriot career. After previously recording a save in Thursday's regional opener against MSU Denver, the left-hander was called upon to start game one and dominated the Rams lineup. Abel tossed 8.1 innings while allowing just three runs and striking out 11 batters on 127 pitches.
The Patriots carried the momentum into the championship game later Saturday evening behind another dominant pitching effort.
Dylan Blomquist turned in one of the best postseason outings in program history, throwing a complete-game shutout while striking out 10 Rams hitters. The performance marked the first complete game thrown by a Patriot pitcher since 2020.
UT Tyler broke through in the fourth inning after Drew Schmidt opened the frame with a single and advanced into scoring position following an Angelo State error and wild pitch. Bryce Jewell then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Schmidt and give the Patriots a 1-0 lead.
The Patriots added another run in the fifth after Brock Bearden walked and moved into scoring position on a balk. Schmidt continued his huge day at the plate with an RBI single down the left field line to make it 2-0.
UT Tyler added insurance again in the seventh as Connor Clark singled and Bearden was hit by a pitch before Schmidt delivered another RBI single to right field, extending the advantage to 3-0.
The Patriots put the game away in the eighth inning. Drew Bourgeois scored on a bunt single from Bearden before Hornback lined an RBI single back through the middle to stretch the lead to 5-0 entering the ninth.
Blomquist closed the door from there, finishing the complete-game shutout and sending the Patriots to the Super Regional round.
Schmidt led the offense in the title game with three hits and two RBIs, while Hornback and Luke Smith each recorded two-hit performances. Bearden scored twice and added an RBI as part of the balanced attack.
Across both victories, UT Tyler pitchers combined to strike out 21 batters while allowing just one extra-base hit in 18 innings.
With the regional title secured, the Patriots now advance to the South Central Super Regional where they will take on Colorado Mesa in a best-of-three series next weekend in Grand Junction, Colorado with a trip to the Division II College World Series on the line.
