Austin College Takes Series Clincher Against Southwestern

Photo by Randy Almaguer
Photo by Randy Almaguer

SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College baseball team kept itself in the driver's seat for the fourth seed in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament with an 11-3 win over Southwestern on Sunday afternoon at Baker Field. The 'Roos are now 13-12 overall and 6-6 in conference play after taking two of three games from the Pirates this weekend. 

Austin College and Southwestern now both sit on six conference victories, though at 6-8 the Pirates remain behind the 'Roos in the standings. Southwestern has just one conference series remaining against No. 13-ranked Texas Lutheran, while Austin College has six more conference games left against Centenary and TLU, leaving the 'Roos to control their own destiny the rest of the way.

On Sunday, the 'Roos came from behind thanks to a grand slam from James Arguello – the first career home run for the fifth-year senior. Southwestern jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second, but in the bottom of the third Austin Dudley singled home a run and Arguello followed two batters later with his grand slam over the fence in left. 

The 'Roos added another run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Bennett Reagan, and Nick Flynn drew a walk with the bases loaded to make it 7-3 after five. Flynn added a 3-run homer in the seventh to make it 10-3, and Brett Taff drove in a run in the eighth to make it 11-3. Ryan Culp came on to pitch three scoreless innings to close the door on the Pirates and earn the save.

Taff went 6.0 strong innings to get the victory, striking out four and allowing three runs on seven hits. Culp struck out four and gave up three hits and no runs in 3.0 innings, and Reagan and Cody Goggins each had a pair of hits to pace the 'Roos at the plate.

Austin College steps out of conference play on Tuesday to host Dallas Christian for a single game at 6:00 p.m., and then head out on the road next weekend to face Centenary in Shreveport for a 3-game set. 

Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.