Hoping to turn things around, the Sul Ross State baseball team returned to Kokernot Field on Friday for a home-opening doubleheader with the Southwestern University Pirates.

The Lobos attempted a rally in Game 1, but fell short 10-6.

During the nightcap, Sul Ross State came up shy by a score of 8-4.

>> GAME 1:

The Pirates took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on two hits.

Sul Ross State got on the board in the bottom of third when Peyten Kennard hit a leadoff solo home run to right center.

Southwestern pushed across four runs in the fourth after hitting two home runs to increase the lead to 6-1.

The Pirates got a solo home run in the fifth before the Lobos put together a rally in the sixth.

Carsen Thor highlighted the five-run inning by hitting a two-run home run. Jared Roiz then drove in two runs with an RBI single through the left side.

Primo Vasquez kept the inning alive by driving in a run on a single to put the Lobos behind 7-6.

The Pirates hit a pair of home runs in the top of the seventh to pull away.

>> GAME NOTES:

• Vasquez finished 3 for 4 with three singles and an RBI.
• Thor tallied a double, home run, a walk and two RBI to go 2 for 3.
• Lee Kubosh, Roiz and Estevan Ortiz all went 1 for 3 with a single.
• Kennard went 1 for 2 with the home run, one RBI and a walk.
• Keaton King hit a single to center in the sixth to go 1 for 4.
• The Pirates hit five home runs.
• Both teams combined to hit seven home runs.
• The Lobos out-hit Southwestern, 10-8.
• Jacob Salinas struck out three batters and allowed four hits in four innings.
• Cade Watson tallied five strikeouts in three innings of relief.

>> GAME 2:

Southwestern threatened early in the first inning with the bases loaded, but Dawson Beard worked out of the jam by getting a strikeout and a groundout to second.

The Lobos also had a golden opportunity in the bottom of the second when they loaded up the bases after Kevin Potts was hit by pitch to start off the inning.

King then singled on a bunt and then Aaron Morales reached on an error by the pitcher, unfortunately the Lobos weren't able to capitalize.

Southwestern scored three runs on three hits in the top of the third to end the shutout.

The Pirates added two more runs on a two RBI single in the fourth to extend their lead to 5-0.

Sul Ross State was able to push across two runs in the bottom of the fifth when Kennard drove in Vasquez on a sacrifice fly to center and Potts brought in Ortiz on a groundout to first.

After the Pirates scored one run in the top of the sixth, the Lobos answered back in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double by Vasquez.

Southwestern picked up two runs in the ninth with a solo home run and an RBI single to extend the lead to four runs.

The Lobos left two runners stranded in the ninth after getting the first batters aboard as Ortiz hit a single up the middle and Thor drew a walk.

Potts then drove in a run with an infield single to short.

>> GAME NOTES:

• Vasquez went 3 for 5 with two singles, a double and an RBI.
• Ortiz had two singles to go 2 for 4.
• King finished 2 for 4 with a pair of singles.
• The Lobos had 10 hits compared to the 12 tallied by the Pirates.
• Beard went four innings as he allowed six hits and struck out five batters.
• Gage Cobb fanned eight batters in five innings of relief.

>> RECORDS: Southwestern University (2-0); Sul Ross State (0-6)

>> UP NEXT: The Lobos conclude the series with a single game at 1 p.m. CST on Saturday, Feb. 17.