The University of the Southwest traveled to San Antonio for their final series of the regular season. They would be taking on Our Lady of the Lake University, sporting a record of 26-18 going into the weekend. The Mustangs would struggle to get a game against the Saints as they would be swept in all three games by scores of 6-5, 7-6, and 19-4.

GAME 1

Strong starting pitching would be huge for the Mustangs, as Cody Stone went eight innings, allowing only one earned run and striking out four. It would be a strong outing that USW would need with a potential playoff spot on the line. 

In the 2^nd inning, the scoring began for USW as Hayden Woods doubled to right field to drive in Eliazar Torres and Omar Baldenegro. OLLU provided their answer in the bottom of the 3^rd with a single to make it a 2-1 game early. 

Baldenegro would drive in a run in the 5^th inning to extend the Mustang lead to 3-1. In the 7^th inning, Torres singled to bring in Carson Miller for a 4-1 lead. The insurance kept coming in the 9^th inning, with Kevan Diaz hitting a sacrifice fly to give USW a four-run lead going into the bottom of the 9^th.

It would be a tough ending, though, with OLLU rallying for five runs to beat the Mustangs 6-5 in walk-off fashion.

GAME 2

The Mustangs would jump out on top quickly, with Gavin VanGronigen singling in Hayden Woods for the game's first run. Later in the inning, Eliazar Torres walked with the bases loaded to make it 2-0.

The Saints quickly answered with a bases-loaded inside-the-park home run to bring in all four runs for the 4-2 lead. They would tack on another run with a solo shot in the bottom of the 3^rd to extend the lead. 

USW got back on the scoreboard in the 4^th inning when Kevan Diaz reached on an error, allowing Torres to score from third. VanGronigen would later bring in Steven Martinez with a sacrifice fly to make it a one-run game. 

OLLU got their own sac fly in the bottom of the 4^th inning to give them a bit more cushion to their lead. 

We got fireworks in the top half of the 6^th when Diaz blasted a 2-run home run to right field to tie the game. After tight pitching from both sides, the Saints broke through in the bottom of the 9^th for a second straight walk-off win, 7-6. 

GAME 3

The Saints came out in game three with a vengeance as they put up seven runs in the first two innings of the ballgame. The Mustangs were able to scratch a couple in the top of the 3^rd when Gavin VanGronigen doubled in one and Andru Sanchez singled in another.  
 

OLLU continued their offensive push with huge 3^rd and 4^th innings, putting up nine combined in the two innings. In the 5^th, Hayden Woods would homer left field to make it a 16-4 game. OLLU added three more runs in the 6^th inning before finishing the game in the 7^th. 

"I thought our kids competed well in the first two games," said Head Coach Steve Appel. "Unfortunately, we just couldn't close those two out. We now have to refocus in the next couple of days and get ready for the tournament. We have been lost nine ball games this year by getting walked off on or losing in extra innings, and hopefully, that is something this team can use for the tournament. If we can throw strikes and have good plate discipline, we can be a tough team to beat next weekend, it's that plain and simple."

USW Baseball will return for the RRAC Conference Tournament starting Thursday as they take on the top-seeded LSU Shreveport. Continue to follow USW Athletics and USW Baseball on all social media for scores and updates throughout the season.