Pitching kept the Sul Ross baseball team in the ballgame Sunday afternoon during the series finale against the University of Dallas Crusaders.

Unfortunately, the Lobo offense wasn't able to deliver when the golden opportunities were presented.

The Crusaders ended up notching the 5-3 win at Kokernot Field.

"There's still a lot of things we need to iron out in practice," said Sul Ross head coach Ely Gallego. "Two-out RBIs, our two-strike approach — we just got to keep harping on those things because two-out hits win ballgames.

"Today we didn't get those done. We got a little too big with some of our swings and those opportunities, but it's OK. I feel like before we get to conference we can get those things ironed out."

Sul Ross took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Freddy Nunez plated home Jared Roiz on a sacrifice fly to center.

The University of Dallas had only two hits while it stranded four runners through two innings of play.

In the top of the third, the Crusaders tied up the game at 1-1 when Caleb Hohman scored on a wild pitch.

Tristan Karels gave Sul Ross a 2-1 lead with a solo home run to left center in the bottom of the third.

The Crusaders rallied for three runs on three hits in the top of the fourth to take the 4-2 lead.

Sul Ross cut the deficit down to one when Peyten Kennard hit an RBI single to right center to bring in Mateo Saenz in the bottom of the sixth.

In the top of the ninth, the University of Dallas added one more run with a sacrifice fly to left by Andrew Gaspar that scored Brett Castillo.

Sul Ross left 11 runners stranded while it scattered nine hits.

Karels finished 3 for 5 with two singles, a homer and an RBI while Kennard went 2 for 4 with two singles and an RBI.

Matthew Wheeler tallied a single, a walk and a double to go 2 for 3.

Saenz hit a double to finish 1 for 4.

Dawson Beard allowed five hits and struck out two batters in 3.1 innings pitched.

The Lobo bullpen combined to tally six strikeouts. Cade Watson, Aiden Becker and Ian Craigie combined to allow six hits and one earned run.

"(Dawson) did a heck of a job for us. He kept us in the ballgame. He gave us an opportunity for our offense to strike," Gallego added. "Cade did everything we needed him to do. Our whole entire bullpen did well today."

>> RECORDS: Sul Ross (1-2); University of Dallas (1-2)

>> UP NEXT: The Lobos host the Wayland Baptist JV for a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 11. Game 1 begins at 11 a.m.