AUSTIN, TX (05.08.15) – The cardiac Comets have done it again.
 
For the second time in the last two weeks, senior Brandon George delivered a game-winning home run in the bottom of the 9th inning, propelling UT Dallas to a walkoff 6-5 elimination game win over LeTourneau University to extend their stay in the 2015 American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament.
 
George's two-out, three-run blast capped a five-run rally by the Comets (27-16) in their last chance at the plate. UTD trailed LETU (18-17), 5-1, going into their last at-bat. It was the fifth time this season that UTD has rallied for a walk-off win, and the second time George has delivered the game-winning shot. George won a game for the Comets in similar fashion April 26 against McMurry.
 
With the win, UTD advances to a third elimination game in the tournament, scheduled for late Friday night against East Texas Baptist, who eliminated Howard Payne early in the day. Game time is yet to be determined as the Friday schedule fell hours behind with over 3:13 worth of rain delay.
 
George's three-run homer, which cleared the 20-foot high wall in left center field, would not have mattered had Jimmy Norris not delivered a two-out, 2-RBI double earlier in the inning to cut the lead down to 5-3; and Tim Cole not kept the inning alive by avoiding a double play ball with a slide into first base to beat a relay throw.
 
The rally also made a winner of senior reliever Michael Ward, who came in after a two-hour rain delay and threw seven strong innings, giving up just two hits and striking seven before the YellowJackets got a 9th inning two-run homer from Dillon Yates that looked like it would ice the win. The appearance length and strikeout totals were both career highs for Ward.
 
The Comets, who entered the game as the hottest hitting team in the tournament, were stifled much of the game by LETU starter Jordan Carns, who scattered seven hits in 8.1 innings and held UTD at bay. But Carns loaded up the bases with a pair of walks and a hit batter after one out in the 9^th. Norris then greeted reliever Josh Gimre with a two-RBI shot up the middle. Cole then avoided the potential game-ending double play ball with the slide and George came through with the game winner.
 
LETU took a 1-0 lead in their first at-bat, getting an RBI double from Ryan Bertram. The YellowJackets then made it 3-0 in the second inning, scoring a pair of runs with a two-out walk, double and triple against UTD starter Zach Rubel.
 
UTD got a run back in the bottom of the 2nd with a leadoff single from Haden Johnson, who came around to score on a single from Ryan Downs. But the Comets could must little else afterwards, only getting single hits in four of the ensuing innings before the 9th-inning rally.