LONGVIEW, Texas -- LeTourneau baseball honored eight seniors following its series sweep of Hendrix on Friday at Conrad-Vernon Field.
The 2026 senior class was compiled of:
Will Podsednik,
Blake Vice,
Chris Savage,
Weston Riggins,
Zach Baker,
Brooks Bishop,
Cruz Cox, and
Clayton Holt.
After a three-run fifth inning propelled LeTourneau (20-17, 17-10 SCAC) to an 8-5 game one victory and series win, the Jackets dropped 17 unanswered runs in the finale after trailing 8-0 after the top of the second inning to win 17-9 and sweep the SCAC series.
Jack Kale had a career day at the plate. After homering in the series opener on Friday night, Kale went 4-for-8 on the day, homering in both games, with five RBIs and five runs scored.Â
Savage hit 5-for-8 between the twin-bill, plating four and scoring three times.
GAME ONE: LeTourneau 8, Hendrix 5
Vice launched a three-run go-ahead homer in the fourth, going 2-for-4 on the day with four runs batted in.
Both Savage and Kale tallied two hits, and Kale's solo shot in the eighth inning iced the opener.
Podsednik (4-1) threw his best outing of the year to celebrate his senior day, throwing three shutout innings -- while only allowing two baserunners -- and picked up the win in relief.
Hendrix (19-18, 14-13 SCAC) scored the first three runs of the ball game, leading 3-0 after the top of the fourth.
However, after Savage scored on a wayward pickoff attempt, Vice's bomb pushed LeTourneau ahead 4-3 after four.
Ryan Lang plated a run in the top of the fifth for the Warriors to tie the game, but LeTourneau answered with three runs of its own to regain the lead.
Savage first scored Baker on a double down the left field line, followed by
Seth Hudson and Vice producing back-to-back RBI singles to extend the lead to 7-4.
Kale's eighth-inning homer made the score 8-4.
Hendrix threatened in the ninth, scoring one and bringing the tying run to the plate, but
Camden Miller shut the door for his third save of the season.
Dylan Kalmus (1-2) earned the loss, allowing six runs through 4.2 innings.
GAME TWO: LeTourneau 17, Hendrix 9
After securing the series, the Jackets did not let up in the series finale. Despite trailing 8-0, LeTourneau rattled off 17 unanswered runs to earn the sweep.
Despite the slugfest, history was made on the mound for the Jackets.
Cox pitched the final three innings of the contest, earning his eighth save of the season, tying the program record for single-season saves.
More importantly, it was Cox's 14th career save, placing him atop the record books for the most saves in program history.
Savage tallied three hits and three RBIs, Kale added two knocks and four driven in, and
Luke Land supplied his second career three-double game, scoring twice and bringing home two.
After a three-run first inning, Hendrix used two extra-base hits -- including a two-run homer from Ryne Dodson -- to produce five runs in the second to lead 8-0.
However, it was all YellowJacket from then on out.
Land's first double got LeTourneau's first run on the board to ignite a four-run second inning and cut the lead in half.
In the third inning, Hudson soared his first career homer to right field, trimming the lead to 8-6.
The Jackets took flight in the fourth. Savage trimmed the lead to one on a sacrifice fly, and Kale put one on the fieldhouse for a three-run homer and a 10-8 lead.
Land came through with one more RBI-double to cap the inning, as LeTourneau led 11-8 after four.
After plating one in the fifth, LeTourneau had yet another five-run inning in the sixth to extend the lead to 17-8.
The Jackets eventually took the win 17-9, moving them into sole possession of second place in the SCAC standings with one series remaining before the conference tournament.
Ben Mayorga (2-1) allowed just one earned run in three innings of relief work, earning the win.
Cole Joyner (1-3) gave up Kale's go-ahead homer, receiving the loss.
UP NEXT
LeTourneau rounds out the regular season with a road series against Schreiner next weekend (April 24-25).
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