AUSTIN, TX (05.09.15) – After dropping their first game of the 2015 American Southwest Conference Tournament, the UT Dallas baseball team has survived four elimination games and will meet rival Texas Tyler for the ASC championship after a heart-stopping 9-8 victory over host Concordia Texas Saturday afternoon.
 
With the win, the Comets (29-16) advance to their fifth ASC title game in school history. UTD , which is two wins away from winning its first conference crown, will meet the Patriots in the first of potentially two championship bouts at 5 p.m. Saturday on Tornado Field. A win Saturday by the Comets would force the league's "if necessary" game in the double-elimination format at 1 p.m. Sunday.
 
With a depleted pitching staff and playing on just a few hours rest after a 5-4 elimination game win over East Texas Baptist that ended at almost 3:00 a.m., the Comets somehow mustered up enough energy Saturday afternoon to rally from a 7-5 deficit and hold off the Tornados (31-12) late to earn a trip to the title game.
 
UTD scored two runs in the top of the 8th and two more in the top of the 9th to go up 9-7, then got a key play defensively in the bottom of the 9th when Concordia's Connor Bertsch doubled to drive in Michael Evan (cutting the lead to 9-8). Right fielder Pierce Fly, trying to gun down Evan at the plate, overthrew the coverage. But pitcher John Quisenberry, backing up the play next to the backstob netting, grabbed the overthrow and gunned a throw to third base, where Bertsch was trying to extend the play. Bertsch, however, overslid the base and Brandon George erased him with a tag. A softly-hit bloop double put the another tying run on base, but Quisenberry got a fly ball to left to end the game.

With ace Tyler Dauer returning to the mound on just two days rest, the Comets built a big early lead with a five-run inning in the 3rd, taking advantage of three hits and two CTX errors. UTD loaded the bases to open the inning on a Ryan Downs double, a David McKenzie walk and a sacrifice bunt that Jimmy Norris beat out. Tim Cole followed with a hard hit ball that caromed off pitcher Brandon Garwood's chest. He tried to pick up the loose ball and get the force out at home plate, but saled his throw over the head of the catcher, allowing Downs to trot home.

The Tornados then booted a ground ball at second base off the bat of Brandon George that could have been a double play, allowing Norris and McKenzie to score. Kaleb Robinson brought Cole home with an RBI single. After another walk, Brandon Clounch picked up the fifth RBI of the inning, working another walk agasint the third CTX pitcher of the inning to force in a run.

With reliever Dillon Stavinoha ending the threat and finally getting the Comet bats under control, the home team Tornados chipped a run off the lead immediately in their half of the 3rd, then added two more in the 5th before chasing Dauer to cut the lead to 5-3. CTX then looked to take command, erupting for a potentially disastrous four runs in the bottom of the 7th to reverse the fortunes with a 7-5 lead late.

Stavinoha had retired 14 of 15 hitters when Haden Johnson led off the 8th inning with a double off the left field wall and scored on a safety squeeze bunt from Pierce Fly. Pinch runner Josh Covey - who entered the game for Clounch after a single - raced all the way home from first base on a double from Downs to tie the score at 7-7. CTX had a chance to reclaim the lead in the 8th with a one-out bunt single and stolen base, but a missed hit-and-run sign got the runner thrown out at third and reliever John Quisenberry worked his way out of trouble.

With CTX manager Tommy Boggs looking for a solution on the mound, George and Johnson both singled and Matt Young drew a walk to load up the bases with the go-ahead runs on in the top of the 9th. Fly then brough home both George and Johnson with a single through the left side to put UTD up, 9-7.

The Tornados would not go quietly, though. 


 
After Cole Hanson struggled in relief of Dauer, Quisenberry (1-1) finished the game with 2.1 innings, scattering five hits, but giving up just one run.