ALPINE, Texas - Falling behind by a score of 3-0 after one inning of play, the LeTourneau University baseball team never could recover in the opening game of the 2018 American Southwest Conference Tournament Red Bracket in a 13-2, seven-inning loss to Texas-Dallas at Kokernot Field in Alpine, Texas on Friday, May 4th. 

LETU falls to 21-18 with the loss and will play in an elimination game tomorrow while the Comets improved to 26-15 overall and will play in a winner's bracket game tomorrow afternoon. 

"We knew the offense of Texas-Dallas was amazing when we came in and we had hoped to keep them down until the later stages of the game, but you could see the difference in a veteran team like they have" said head coach Robin Harriss in a post-game interview. "We did a good job to battle their pitchers early on, but could not get the clutch hit early in the game to match their scores." "Not being able to capitalize on the big inning in which we had four hits and looking back with Texas-Dallas scoring three or four runs on two hits in an inning really changed the outlook on this game."

The YellowJackets looked to get their offense started early by collecting a leadoff single and one-out walk in the top of the first, but would end the inning on the base paths as a delayed steal and base running error ended the inning without any runs coming across. Texas-Dallas wasted no time and took full advantage of their first opportunity at the dish, using two walks before back-to-back doubles into left field scored three runs to put the score at 3-0. 

Following a quick top of the second, UTD added a pair of runs in the bottom of the second with a two-run home run to left field and make the score 5-0, with the LeTourneau offense being put in a deficit they would have to try and recover from. 

LETU once again put two runners on with one out in the top of the third, but once again saw the Comets manage to find their way out of the inning without any damage done as a strikeout and pop up to second base ended the threat. The bottom of the third and entire fourth inning would see all nine batters retired in order to send things to the fifth with Texas-Dallas still holding a 5-0 lead. 

Noah Mahoney would get things going for the YellowJackets in the top of the fith with a leadoff single which would be followed up by an Eli Birriel single, putting two runners on and the top of the lineup due up with no outs. A fielder's choice and picked off batter put a damper on the fast start to the inning as LeTourneau managed to score just one run on an RBI single from Gonzalo Sosa. 

A two-RBI double would be part of four consecutive hits from Texas-Dallas in the bottom of the fifth as the Comets managed to plate three runs on four hits and a LeTourneau error which extended their lead to 8-1 with the deficit becoming more and more difficult to recover from. LETU could not respond in the sixth, going down in order before another two errors along with two hits allowed for five Comet runs to come across and make the score 13-1. 

Needing three runs to extend the game, LeTourneau would put runners on the corners with two outs as Mahoney would draw a walk and Lee Hosie doubled to right field. Sosa brought home Mahoney on the very next pitch with an RBI single through the right side of the infield, but it would not be enough to keep the game going as a fielder's choice ended the game early. 

Starting pitcher Luke Ludwig would be one of four hurlers used by the YellowJackets in the game, taking the loss after going four complete innings and giving up eight runs on seven hits. Ryder Lognion, Nate Hoelker, and Haden Simmons also appeared in the game and combined to pitch the final two innings of the game. 

Offensively, LETU managed to collect eight hits with six of the eight hits coming from the top three batters in the lineup. Hosie led all players in the game with three hits while Sosa collected two hits and drove in both runs for the YellowJackets. LeTourneau's other hits in the game would come from Will Bradshaw, Mahoney, and Birriel. 

The YellowJackets will get a chance to keep their season alive tomorrow morning, taking on the loser of Sul Ross State and Hardin-Simmons University at 11 a.m. LETU would have to win the 11 a.m. game and another game at 7 p.m. tomorrow evening to move on to Sunday where they would have to win an additional two games to advance out of the Red Bracket.