SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 248
WHEREAS, The University of Texas at Tyler baseball team
closed out an unforgettable year in triumphant fashion by winning
the 2018 NCAA Division III championship on May 29 in Appleton,
Wisconsin; and
WHEREAS, A national title seemed a long shot for the
unranked Patriots following their semifinal loss in the American
Southwest Conference tournament, but under the direction of head
coach Brent Porche, UT Tyler capitalized on the at-large bid it
received to the NCAA tournament; the team went on to win the
Central Regional Tournament and earn a slot in the Division III
championship bracket; after defeating the State University of
New York at Oswego and Misericordia University, the Patriots
climbed to the elimination round, where they dropped the first
game to Randolph-Macon College and then rallied to take the
rematch and advance to the NCAA finale; and
WHEREAS, With the title on the line, UT Tyler faced off
against No. 6 Texas Lutheran University in the best-of-three
championship series; the Patriots dominated the opener, scoring
two runs in the first inning and adding five in the fourth frame
to surge to an 8-1 victory; demonstrating its tenacity throughout
Game Two, UT Tyler erased an early deficit and then broke the
contest open by scoring five runs in the seventh inning to
prevail by a final score of 9-6; with the win, the Patriots
collected the first championship in program history and also
became the first American Southwest Conference team to claim a
national crown; and
WHEREAS, UT Tyler was led by Simon Sedillo, who pitched
two complete games in the NCAA tournament and was named the Most
Outstanding Player; moreover, Bowie Farris, Blake Maddox,
Tanner Roach, and Henry Sanchez were named to the
All-Tournament Team; and
WHEREAS, Winning a national title represents the
culmination of countless hours of hard work and an unwavering
commitment to excellence, and the members of The University of
Texas at Tyler baseball team will treasure the memory of this
accomplishment for many years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th
Legislature, hereby congratulate The University of Texas at
Tyler Patriots on winning the 2018 NCAA Division III national
championship and extend to the team's players, coaches, and staff
sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the
Texas Senate.
Hughes
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 25, 2019.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate