Baseball falls to Tornados in 3-part series

The Cru suffered a series loss against Concordia University April 11 and 12 as the team failed to clench any victories in its three-game weekend performances.

The team’s record dropped to 25-10 overall and 11-7 in American Southwest Conference West Division play.

Assistant Coach Derek Dunaway said the team’s overall performance wasn’t as it normally is.

“We didn’t play the good baseball that we know how to. They just outplayed us,” he said.

The team walked off the field disappointed, but learned its lesson.

He said, “No matter where you’re at, in first or in last place, if you don’t show up to play, you’ll get beat. You just can’t walk on the field and expect to win.”

Head Coach Micah Wells said the Cru’s game suffered in many ways.

“You got a pitching battle, an offensive battle and a defensive battle and I don’t know that we won any of them this weekend,” he said. “We didn’t do enough things right while they did a lot of things right.”

The team saw a total of 27 hits. Twelve players who were able to get on base scored a run. One was senior outfielder Earnest Pena, who in the seventh inning of the second game April 12, hit his tenth home run of the season.

“This is a great accomplishment for him,” Wells said. “It is a great indication that he is just up there trying to do whatever it takes to help us win. He’s part of the reason we are where we are.”

Wells said he believes, however, the starter would trade in his personal success for a team victory.

“Knowing Earnest the way I know him, he would give them all back for three wins this weekend. He would rather get zero hits and win, than get a lot of hits and lose.”

Pena has totaled 43 hits and 36 runs this season, making him offensively a key component. But the team needed more than just Pena’s aggressive work at the plate to bring in a victory.

Because of the loss, the Cru is now tied with Concordia University for second place in ASC, meaning the remainder of its regular season play against Howard Payne University April 18 and 19 will be a critical part in determining where the team will stand in the playoffs.

The recent fall to the Tornados greatly impacted the nationally ranked team’s record. But Wells said there is something positive to be taken from the experience.

“I hope this sets us back on track so that we can focus on what we have to do and get ready to play again,” he said.
The team will work hard in practice to make way for future successes.

“We’re going to be trying to clean up some things like bunt coverage and situational baseball,” Wells said. “We need to work on the mental side of what we’re doing and do a better job of anticipating what’s going to happen in the game.”    

No matter the outcome, the Crusader baseball team will continue to play fearless for the remainder of the season.
Wells said, “You can learn more lessons from losing than winning sometimes. They’re more concrete and in your face than when you win.”

Depending on the rest of its regular season, which is soon coming to an end, the team will head into the conference tournament April 25.

The coaching staff is happy with the way the players have conducted themselves thus far, but at the same time hope that the highlight of their season is yet to come.

Wells said, “I hope that we still have everything in front of us. Our best days are ahead.”

Junior pitcher Hunter Hawkins believes hard work and team unity will help carry them to playoffs.

“We have a sense that we’re all brothers on the field, trying to accomplish one goal,” he said. “Each of us worked so hard to get here and together just want to be the best we can be.”

The Cru will wrap up its regular season play in Brownwood April 18.