AUSTIN, Texas - The Whitworth baseball team, off to its best start to a season in program history, concluded the Central Texas Tournament with a 7-4 victory over Concordia (Texas) on Sunday at Tornado Field to remain unbeaten through eight non-conference games.

Whitworth (8-0) opened the tournament on Friday with a 7-6 win over Southwestern (Tex.) before topping No. 3 Emory in 10 innings, 8-7, and edging Mary Hardin-Baylor, 8-6, on Saturday.

The victory on Sunday over Concordia (1-3) gave Whitworth its second consecutive 4-0 weekend after opening the season with an unbeaten weekend in California against Cal Lutheran and Whitter.

Jeremy Druffel wasted little time in putting Whitworth ahead early on Sunday against the Tornados, belting a two-run home run to left-center field in the top of the first inning. Daniel Casanova led off the game with an infield single before Druffel's home run.

The Pirates opened a 3-0 advantage in the top of the second when Matthew Nelson produced a two-out single to score Casanova. Casanova had reached on a fielder's choice and moved into scoring position when Druffel walked. Following Nelson's hit, JT Phelan was hit by a pitch to load the bases but a strikeout ended the threat.

The Tornados answered to bring the score even with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. A leadoff walk to Colton Poindexter followed by a single from Gareth Hutton put runners on the corners before Wilkes Swaim reached on an infield single to third base. A throwing error on the infield single allowed both Poindexter and Hutton to score. Michael Evan followed Swaim with a RBI double to tie the game before a groundout and strikeout ended the inning.

The Pirates took a 5-3 lead in the fourth inning with offense sparked once again by the 1-2-3 hitters in the lineup. Casanova and Druffel both reached with one-out singles and Nelson followed with a double to score Casanova and advance Druffel to third base. Druffel then scored when Phelan grounded out to second base.

Concordia came within 5-4 during the bottom of the fourth inning with Evan's second RBI of the game. Cameron Rape singled to leadoff the inning and had advanced to third base after a sacrifice bunt and passed ball before scoring on a groundout by Evan.

Ryan Bird, the walk-off hero from Saturday's win against Emory, delivered another important hit Sunday with a two-RBI double in the fifth inning for a 7-4 lead. Joel Condreay had walked with one out and Anthony Bonilla followed with a single to set the stage for Bird's double to right-center field.

Whitworth starter Ryan Kingma (2-0) allowed four runs, three earned, in five innings pitched with nine strikeouts against two walks.

Connor Sand performed admirably in relief, shutting down the Tornados over the final four innings. He struck out three batters and did not allow a walk, allowing only one hit en route to picking up the save. Sand allowed a baserunner beyond first base only once, when a single followed by a throwing error put runners on first and third in the bottom of the eighth inning. But Sand then recorded a strikeout to end the threat.

The top third of the Pirates' lineup set the tone Sunday, finishing a combined 7 of 13 at the plate. Casanova was 2 for 5 with three runs scored and Druffel went 2 for 3 with two walks, two runs scored and two RBIs. Nelson finished 3 for 5 with two RBIs.

The Pirates will not play next weekend but begin the Northwest Conference schedule by hosting Whitman at Merkel Field on Feb. 27 and Feb. 28. The series will begin Saturday, Feb. 27, with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.