BELTON, Texas - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team swept a doubleheader over Concordia University Texas Saturday afternoon in Belton. The Cru improved to 6-0 on the season and 3-0 in American Southwest Conference action while the Tornados fell to 4-6 overall and 0-3 in conference play.
 
The Tornados were first on the board in game one, driving in a run in the top of the first. UMHB scored the equalizer in the bottom of the third when a sacrifice fly from Cameron Talburt drove in Blake Gonzalez. The Cru pulled ahead on the next at-bat with an RBI double from Carson Hagan to score Tyler Betts. Carson Riley added an RBI single to score Hagan later in the frame, putting UMHB up 3-1.
 
UMHB kept pushing forward in the fourth inning with Talburt doubling to bring Gonzalez home. Rhett Grosz followed that with another double to score Tyler Betts before Talburt recorded the Cru's fifth run on an RBI from Riley Bender.
 
Concordia Texas added one final run on an RBI single in the top of the fifth inning but could not overcome the deficit, giving UMHB the 6-2 win.
 
Rahul Champaneri (1-0) claimed the win for UMHB, throwing six innings while allowing just one earned run on seven hits. Nicklas Fenner made a mound appearance for the final inning, recording two strikeouts. The Cru out-hit the Tornados 11-8, led by Betts and Grosz with three hits each.
 
Concordia Texas was first to score again in game two, crossing home on a wild pitch in the top of the second frame. UMHB responded with an explosive four-run third inning. A Grosz double scored Talburt and Betts before Elijah Rodriguez drove in Bender and Grosz on a two-RBI single to go up 4-1.
 
The Tornados cut the gap to one in the top of the fifth with a duo of RBI singles. UMHB responded in the bottom of the sixth with a Gonzalez score on a passed ball. Carson Hagan sent a homerun over the left field wall on the next play, bringing in Talburt to expand the cushion 7-3.
 
Concordia Texas continued to fight back, scoring on an error in the seventh. The Cru pitched a perfect frame in the eighth but the Tornados added a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to cut the gap to 7-6. Robert Sanford made the final out for the Cru, recording his first collegiate save and giving UMHB the 7-6 win.
 
"I just went in and did my job," Sanford said. "It's the best feeling in the world to sweep a conference opponent."
 
James McGlumphy earned the win for the Cru, pitching six innings. McGlumphy allowed two earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Sanford earned the save for UMHB while Jacob Hayes and Quint Mullen also made mound appearances. The Cru outhit the Tornados again 15-9, with six Crusaders recording two hits.
 
UMHB returns to action Tuesday, February 24^th in a 6:00 p.m. contest against University of St. Thomas in Houston.