BELTON — Entering a must-win series against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, the Sul Ross State baseball team is in a tight battle for fifth place in the American Southwest Conference.
The Lobos held a 6-3 lead before the Crusaders fought back to win the game, 8-7, in 10 innings at Red Murff Field on Thursday afternoon.
>> HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Lobos took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second with a sacrifice fly to center by
Carsen Thor that drove in
Tristan Karels.
UMHB then tied up the game in the bottom half of the second.
On two hits, the Crusaders went ahead, 3-1, in the bottom of the fourth.
In the top of the sixth, Sul Ross got back-to-back singles from
Matthew Wheeler and
Orlando Moreno.
Quickly down two outs,
Primo Vasquez delivered an RBI single to center. Karels then followed up with the go-ahead three-run home run.
UMHB cut the deficit to two runs in the bottom of the sixth.
The Crusaders then tied up the game by pushing across two runs in the bottom of the ninth to eventually win in walk-off fashion.
Sul Ross had 15 hits to the 13 collected by UMHB.
Karels homered in his third-straight game as he finished 1 for 4 with three RBI and two walks. He now rides an 11-game hitting streak.
Vasquez went 2 for 5 with two singles, an RBI and a walk.
Tye Lindsey had two singles, a double and a run scored to finish 3 for 5. Thor tallied three singles to end up going 3 for 4 with two RBI.
Moreno also had a three-hit performance after he hit three singles to go 3 for 4 with an RBI.
Aaron Morales finished 1 for 6 with a single while Wheeler went 1 for 4.
Chris Ibanez threw 4.2 innings allowing five hits while he struck out two batters.
Cade Watson came in for relief, throwing 3.1 innings with two strikeouts.
Ian Craigie faced five batters in 1/3 of an inning.
Connor Archer threw the final 2/3 of an inning allowing two hits and an earned run.
>> RECORDS: Sul Ross (15-20, 11-14); UMHB (14-19, 9-16)
>> UP NEXT: The Lobos conclude the regular season with a doubleheader in Belton on Friday, April 28 beginning at 12 p.m.
