UT Tyler Patriots beat Lubbock Christian 18-12 in a high-scoring Game Two

TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler men’s baseball secured its first series win of the season with an 18–12 victory over Lubbock Christian in a marathon contest that featured over four hours of action. The Patriots combined 15 hits with 11 free passes to fuel their 18-run performance.

UT Tyler struck first in the opening inning after Connor Clark led off with a single, stole second, and scored on a Drew Schmidt base hit. Schmidt later swiped second and came home on a Cole Ketzner double to give the Patriots a 2–0 lead.

Lubbock Christian answered in the second with a leadoff home run and capitalized on an error, single, and sacrifice bunt to take a 3–2 advantage. The Patriots responded immediately as Brock Bearden singled, stole second, and eventually scored following a pair of errors to tie the game at 3–3.

After both teams were held scoreless for an inning, UT Tyler regained the lead in the fourth when Bearden doubled, advanced to third on a flyout, and scored on another Clark single to make it 4–3.

The game exploded in the fifth and sixth innings during a stretch that saw 13 runs scored on just two hits over nearly an hour of play. Two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Tanner Hornback, who delivered a two-run single. Additional runs came via a wild pitch, walk, hit by pitch, and a fielder’s choice as UT Tyler built a 10–3 lead. The Chaps responded with runs fueled by errors, wild pitches, and four consecutive walks, eventually knotting the game at 10–10.

The Patriots regained control in the sixth when Bearden crushed a three-run home run after a hit batter and a single. UT Tyler added another run in the seventh when Bryce Jewell doubled home a runner to extend the lead to 14–10.

Lubbock Christian pushed across a run in the eighth, but the Patriots answered with a decisive four-run bottom half of the inning. A leadoff walk and single, an error, wild pitch, and RBI singles from Ketzner, Kaston Mason, and Hornback stretched the lead to 18–11.

The Chaps added one final run in the ninth following a double and defensive miscues, but UT Tyler closed out the 18–12 victory.

Offensively, six Patriots scored multiple runs and five recorded multiple hits. Clark finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Schmidt and Hornback each totaled three runs and three RBI. Bearden led the way, going 3-for-5, reaching base four times, scoring four runs, and driving in three, including his first home run of the season. On the mound, Noah Lindt earned his first win of the year, tossing two innings in relief while allowing just one earned run and striking out two.

The Patriots return to action tomorrow at 1 p.m. as they look to complete the sweep over Lubbock Christian.

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