ROUND ROCK, Texas -- 20th ranked Concordia (Texas) bounced back from an early 4-0 deficit and scored nine unanswered runs to earn a 9-4 victory over McMurry in the second game of the 2025 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Championship. Official Website l Tournament Stats l Photo Gallery
In a game that was to have been played the previous day, McMurry jumped all over Concordia starter and SCAC Pitcher-of-the-Year, Otto Franz, for four runs in the top of the second, highlighted by a two-run home run from Xavier Escobar, to take an early 4-0 lead. But from there, Franz settled in, not allowing any additional damage in his seven total innings of work.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The game was rescheduled from Friday and started immediately after the conclusion of the Trinity/St. Thomas game, which was halted the previous day in the top of the ninth.
- After allowing the early four runs, only three earned, Franz finished with a line of 7.0 innings pitched, seven hits, three walks and five strikeouts to earn his league-leading ninth win of the season.
- An RBI single from Zach Seigrist and a two-run single from Aaron Gomez plated three runs and Concordia quickly responded with three runs in their half of the second inning to cut the War Hawks' lead to 4-3.
- The Tornados plated four more runs on five hits in the bottom of the fourth, with Logan Smith's two-run single capping the scoring and giving Concordia a 7-4 lead.
- RBI singles from Matthew Armes and Eric Garcia in the bottom of the eighth iced the game and closed out the scoring, providing the final margin at 9-4.
CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY (TEXAS) STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Aaron Gomez: 3-4, 1 2B, 1 run, 2 RBI
- Zach Seigrist: 3-5, 1 2B, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Logan Smith: 2-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, 1 BB
- Eric Garcia: 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 BB
- Otto Franz (WP): 7.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 5 K, 3 BB
MCMURRY UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Xavier Escobar: 2-4, 1 HR, 1 run, 2 RBI
- Ty Nelson: 2-5
- Blake Beach: 1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Ethan Wendel (LP): 3.2 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 K, 5 BB
NOTABLES
- The game was the first-ever SCAC tournament for both first-year schools.
- It was also the first game between two teams both making their conference tournament debut since Birmingham-Southern and Dallas played each other at the 2012 championships.
- The match-up between Concordia and McMurry was the first between two 30+ win teams at the SCAC Championships since Texas Lutheran and Trinity met at the 2019 tournament.
- Escobar's home run was the first at this year's tournament.
UP NEXT
Concorida (32-9) advances to play Trinity at approximatley 6:45 p.m. tonight in winners bracket action while McMurry (31-10) takes on St. Thomas in today's 3:15 p.m. game.
