In front of a packed crowd at Kokernot Field, the Sul Ross State baseball team began the season with a doubleheader against the University of Dallas Crusaders on Saturday afternoon.

Chris Ibanez threw a complete-game four-hitter with four strikeouts to help lift the Lobos to a 7-1 win in Game 1. First-year head coach Ely Gallego also picked up his first win at the helm of the Lobos.

There was plenty of drama in Game 2.

Sul Ross held an 8-3 lead before the Crusaders scored five runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 8-8.

The Lobos had plenty of opportunities to push across a run, but the University of Dallas got the timely hit to win the game, 10-9, in 10 innings.

"They did a great job. Obviously, Game 2 is one that we wish we could've pulled out," said Gallego. "There were things we did well, there's things we didn't do well late in the ballgame to give ourselves a chance to win that thing.

"Overall, the guys did a great job of staying locked in, fighting the entire time, having good at bats and just keeping the energy up."

In Game 1, the Lobos got on the board in the bottom of the second when Peyten Kennard singled to left to plate home Mateo Saenz.

Sul Ross scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 5-0. Tye Lindsey hit an RBI double while Tristan Karels legged out an RBI triple to center field.

Kennard added to the frame by hitting another RBI single.

The Lobos scored three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. The University of Dallas was held scoreless until the top of the seventh when it scored a run on a groundout to short after a leadoff triple.

Sul Ross had 11 hits.

Saenz went 3 for 3 with three singles while Karels went 2 for 3 with a single and a triple. Kennard finished 2 for 3 with two singles and a pair of RBIs.

Orlando Moreno tallied a pair of singles to go 2 for 4.

>> GAME 2:

The Lobos struck quick and early to start the second game when Saenz hit a two-RBI double to left in the bottom of the first.

In the top half of the second, the Crusaders cut the deficit to one.

Sul Ross got two runs in the bottom of the second after a sacrifice fly to right by Aaron Morales that brought in Matthew Wheeler.

Moreno then followed up with an RBI single to make the score 4-1. The Lobos later extended their lead to four when Lindsey scored on an error by the shortstop.

In the top of the fourth, the University of Dallas got a solo home run from Andrew Gaspar.

Sul Ross answered back in the bottom half of the frame when Primo Vasquez hit an RBI triple to left and Carsen Thor drove in a run on a double to center.

Trailing 7-2, the Crusaders had another solo homer, this time from Caleb Hohman in the top of the fifth.

The Lobos extended their lead to five when Karels hit a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Wheeler in the bottom half of the fifth.

During the big rally in the top of the sixth, the Crusaders hit two home runs, which included a two-run blast by Fernando Davila.

The five-run surge allowed the Crusaders to take a 9-8 lead.

Sul Ross tied up the game in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by Moreno.

A run wasn't scored until the top of the 10th when Brett Castillo singled to right.

The Lobos managed to out hit the Crusaders,16-14.

Brad Ansley got the start for Sul Ross, tossing four innings of four-hit work while striking out two batters. Connor Archer was handed the loss after he threw three innings allowing just three hits while fanning three batters.

Saenz went 3 for 5 with two singles, a double, a walk and two RBIs while Morales went 3 for 4 with three singles and an RBI.

Thor, Vasquez and Moreno each finished 2 for 6. Moreno drove in two runs.

"We could have easily folded in that second game, but after that five spot the guys fought back and tied that thing back up," Gallego added. "We had quite a few two-out RBIs. That's how you win ballgames.

"We just got to keep working on execution because when we get in conference being able to execute those little things is going to help us win that one-run ballgame."

>> RECORDS: Sul Ross (1-1); University of Dallas (1-1)

>> UP NEXT: The Lobos host the University of Dallas for a single game at 12 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5 to close out the three-game series.