'Roos Split Twinbill with St. Thomas

SHERMAN, Texas - The Austin College baseball team split its doubleheader with the University of St. Thomas on Saturday, falling late in a 5-2 game one loss before bouncing back with a 5-4 victory in game two.

Garrett Gray tossed his second complete game of the season in game one, surrendering five runs with only two earned while striking out nine batters and scattering six hits. Both teams got on the board in the first inning, with the Celts pushing a run across in the top half of the frame before Mason Woodhouse doubled home a run to even things up. Another run for UST made it a 2-1 game in the third, but Brandon Hill tripled home a run in the fourth to once again level the score.

The Celts took the lead with one more run in the fifth to make it 3-2, but defensive miscues in the ninth enabled the Celts to build the lead to 5-2 and the 'Roos were unable to mount a comeback. Woodhouse finished 3-for-5 to lead Austin College offensively, while Jeffrey Williams went 2-for-4 and Landon Murray picked up the win for the Celts.

Game two was scoreless through the first four innings of action before St. Thomas plated a pair in the fifth and one more run in the sixth to make it 3-0, but in the seventh inning the 'Roos got on the board when Jake Trapani drew a bases loaded walk and Hill was hit by a pitch while the bases were still full to cut it to a one run game. The 'Roos would take the lead later in the inning when Scott Hosmer singled home two runs to make it a 4-3 game.

The lead grew to 5-3 in the eighth when a throwing error allowed Keaton High to come around and score. The Celts got one run back on a solo homer by Israel Fields in the ninth, but the 'Roos managed to shut the door in the final frame and hold on for the 5-4 win. Zack Czarnecky got the win in relief for Austin College, giving up one run on three hits in 3.0 innings of work, and Hosmer and High were each 2-for-4. Fields paced the Celts with a 4-for-4 performance at the dish.