The Muhlenberg baseball team overcame an early three-run deficit but lost at Concordia, 14-9, in its first of five games in Texas.

The game started out as a slugfest, with the Tornados (14-5) leading 11-9 after three innings. Then the pitching took over; there were no more runs until Concordia plated three in the bottom of the eighth.

Junior Evan Virno (pictured above) helped restore order for the Mules (6-4), pitching three scoreless innings in the middle of the game. After he ran into trouble in the seventh, senior Dylan O'Donnell worked out of a first-and-third, nobody-out situation without allowing a run, with the help of sophomore catcher Spencer Hobson, who tagged out a runner trying to score on a wild pitch.

Muhlenberg trailed 4-1 after one inning but scored seven in the second to take the lead. Freshman Sean Habeeb and junior Thomas Pranzo had RBI singles in the big frame, and the Mules also scored on two bases-loaded walks, a wild pitch, an outfield error, and a double play.

After the Tornados, who played in the NCAA Tournament last year, went back ahead with four in the bottom of the second, sophomore Marc Quarrie hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Habeeb and tie the game at 9-9 in the top of the third. That would be the last run for Muhlenberg.

Pranzo, Hobson and senior Brendan Bussiere each had two hits for the Mules. Graduate student Jack Kent reached base in four of his five plate appearances.

Senior Brendan Hughes singled in the second for his 100th career hit.