Walk-off Homer Gives 'Roos Split with UST

SHERMAN, Texas - Brandon Evans blasted a pinch-hit, walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to give Austin College a 7-6 game two victory over St. Thomas, as the 'Roos split the day's doubleheader after falling 11-6 in game one. The 'Roos are now 5-13 overall on the year.

The day's second game started with the Celts plating three runs in the opening frame to grab an early lead, with Austin College getting one run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double by Cody Goggins. Goggins plated two more runs with another RBI double, this time in the bottom of the third to even things up at 3-3. St. Thomas took the lead back in the fifth before Nick Flynn led off the bottom half of that inning with a solo home run to make it 4-4, but a pair of errors opened the door to two runs for the Celts in the seventh to make it a 6-4 game.

In the bottom of the seventh, Zack Mahoney blasted a solo shot to left to pull Austin College to within one at 6-5, and Flynn singled home a run in the eighth to tie things up. The 'Roos were down to their final out in the bottom of the ninth when Evans caught hold of one and left no doubt, sending it deep over the fence in left.

Jake Thomas went the distance for the 'Roos to earn the win, surrendering six runs - only three earned - on 11 hits with six strikeouts. Flynn finished 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI, and Goggins went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Mahoney went 2-for-5 and scored twice.

Earlier in the day, the 'Roos took a 1-0 lead in game one on an RBI double by Mahoney in the first, but St. Thomas got a solo homer from Leo Galvan in the second to make it 1-1. The Celts took the lead in the top of the fourth, but Austin College pushed four runs across in the fifth to go on top 5-2. Justin Alphonse got things started with a two-run double, and Evans followed with a double of his own to plate Alphonse. Logan Ballard finished up the scoring with an RBI single.

However, the lead would be short-lived as St. Thomas plated four runs of their own in the top of the sixth, including a three-run homer from Noah Martinez to make it 6-5 in favor of the Celts. Another run came home in the eighth for the Celts before Austin College got one back on a sacrifice fly by Mahoney to make it 8-6, but that's as close as the 'Roos would get with St. Thomas plating three more in the ninth to make it an 11-6 game one final.

Flynn went 3-for-5 for Austin College and scored twice, and Sergio De Paoli and Mahoney each had a pair of hits. Ryan Culp took the loss for Austin College, giving up seven runs on 11 hits with six strikeouts in 6.2 innings of action.

The 'Roos and Celts will wrap up the weekend series tomorrow with game time set for noon.