CLEBURNE, Texas -- The Concordia (Tex.) Tornados used explosive offense to remain undefeated in the 2026 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Baseball Championship, defeating LeTourneau 17-4 in just eight innings in Saturday's game five. Official Website l Photo Gallery | Postgame Interview
Concordia jumped out to an early lead with a leadoff homer from Samuel Ortiz, followed by a six-run second inning. The Tornados entered run-rule territory with a five-run eighth inning to push forth the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Ortiz blasted a first-pitch homer over the left field wall to lead off the game, before launching his second homer of the day in the third inning.
- The Tornados scored six runs in the second inning off three RBI-walks and two RBI-singles to earn an early 8-0 lead.
- The only runs of the game for the YellowJackets came from a second-inning grand slam from Jake Morris, trimming the lead to 8-4.
- Concordia answered promptly, though, with Ortiz's second homer and back-to-back hit-by-pitches in the sixth.
- Three RBI-doubles came between the seventh and eighth innings, including Logan Smith's to push the lead to 14-4.
CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY (TEXAS) STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Samuel Ortiz: 2-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 3 runs, 1 BB
- Louis Alonzo: 3-3, 4 runs, 1 RBI, 2 BB,
- Kalen Clark: 4-5, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 2 runs, 1 BB
- Landon Hyle: 3-5, 1 2B, 1 run, 2 RBI
- Jake Townsend: 2-3, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB
- Jake Runnells (WP): 6.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 5 K, 1 BB
LETOURNEAU UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Jake Morris: 2-4, 4 RBI, 1 run
- Austin Wiederhold: 2-4, 1 2B
- Chris Savage: 1-3, 1 2B
- Clayton Holt (LP): 1.1 IP, 4 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 5 BB
NOTABLES
- Concordia's Ortiz became just the 10th player in SCAC Tournament history to hit two home runs in a single game and the first since Tyler Post hit a pair against Centenary at the 2023 championships.
- Concordia's 17 runs are the most in an SCAC Tournament game since 2013 (Centenary 19 vs. Austin College).
- The grand slam by LeTourneau's Morris was the first in the SCAC Tournament since Texas Lutheran's Tyler Post's bases-emptying shot against Southwestern on 5/5/2023 in a 10-5 victory for the Bulldogs.
- The blast was Morris' first collegiate home run and the Yellowjackets' second grand slam of the season.
- Concordia is 4-2 all time in SCAC Tournament play while Saturday's game was the first for LeTourneau since joining the league prior to this season.
UP NEXT
The Tornados (27-15) advance to play McMurry in game seven on Sunday, with a trip to the Championship game on the line. LeTourneau (23-18) falls to play Hendrix in an elimination game at 7:05 p.m.
