AUSTIN – The 14th-ranked Tiger baseball team began its week with a narrow 8-7 road loss to Concordia University (TX) on Tuesday night.

Trinity dropped to 11-6 with its second straight loss, while Concordia evened its season record to 10-10 with the victory. The Tigers scored twice in the ninth in an attempt to steal a win late, but the rally fell just short with two runners left on base at the end of the game.

Concordia struck first in the bottom of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead, but the Tigers came back immediately with two runs in the third to take its first lead. Cristian Holloway (Brownsville, Texas / Veterans Memorial) grounded out to short to bring in the first run, then Korson Hastings (San Antonio, Texas / Churchill) doubled in the go-ahead run with two outs.

The Tigers didn't lead for long as Concordia tied the game with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the third inning. Trinity's offense went right back to work as well, using a walk, a hit, and an error to go back in front 3-2. Maddox McDonald (San Antonio, Texas / Antonian) doubled in two more runs later in the inning and the visitors took a 5-2 lead.

Another homer in the bottom of the fifth – this time with a runner on – sparked a Concordia rally that put the home team in front for good. The Tornados scored four times in the inning and led 6-5 after five innings.

Trinity's offense was held to just one hit after the three-run fourth inning, and was held hitless over the final four frames. The Tigers had a baserunner erased on an inning-ending double play in the seventh, then put together its rally in the ninth. Two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases with just one out. Holloway drew a walk to score the first run for the Tigers, then Hastings beat out a potential double-play ball for an RBI that made it an 8-7 game with two down. Concordia got the final out and held on for the win, though, as the rally fell just short.

McDonald went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, accounting for much of Trinity's offensive output in the game. Holloway and Hastings drove in two runs each for the Tigers.

 Jack Briese (Danville, Ky. / Boyle County) allowed four runs on seven hits over 4.0 innings to start the game, but he came out early in the fifth inning. Trajan Lee (Dallas, Texas / John Paull II) took the loss in relief, falling to 1-1 this season after giving up two runs on two hits over two-thirds of an inning. Ian Swafford (Galveston, Texas / Ball) pitched two shutout innings to close out the game.

Up Next

Trinity will make a quick return home to host fifth-ranked East Texas Baptist University tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 p.m.