SERIES PREVIEW: Dallas at East Texas Baptist (3/6) | (3/7; DH)
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
OPENING PITCH
The University of Dallas baseball team (4-6) begins a three-game series on Friday, March 6 at East Texas Baptist University (6-3). First pitch set for 7 p.m. On March 7, the trio of contests is expected to be wrapped up with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
Dallas is looking to end a four-game losing slide dating back to Feb. 18 versus Castleton State College. It will be an extensive trip away from Crusader Field as the Navy and White are in the midst of a 13-game road swing.
March 21 is the first time UD is scheduled to play on the home diamond again.
MOST RECENT ACTION
Poor weather conditions have kept the Crusaders off the field the past two weeks, with four affairs not being completed. LeTourneau's rainout has been rescheduled for March 11 at Longview, Texas, and the three-game set at home versus Schreiner University was cancelled.
The three contests were non-conferenced matchups. Prior to Mother Nature interfering, UD was on a road trip at No. 16 (at the time) Trinity University. The ranked, defending Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) champions were able to sweep Dallas.
Game one of a twinbill on Feb. 21 proved to be the Navy and White's best chance to prevail, as the road team scratched two runs in the top of the ninth to give them a 5-4 lead. However, Trinity responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half to complete the walk-off.
The remainder of the weekend witnessed TU outscore the Crusaders 19-3.
QUICK HITS
Sophomore Alex Stack (Keller, Texas) is batting .424 on the squad for a team-high. The third baseman also ranks as the team-leader in hits (14), runs (11), and is second in total bases (15).
Two other players with at least seven starts are batting above the .300 mark with seniors Luciano Villanueva (San Antonio, Texas) posting a .346 clip, and Nolan Kipp (Folsom, Calif.) chipping in a .310 mark.
Kipp is tied with senior Trevor Keele (Edgewood, Texas) with six runs batted in. Fellow classmate Zack Boylson (Fairview, Texas) is right behind with five RBI. Keele also leads the team with 19 total bases, and has launched the squad's only home runs thus far on the campaign.
Pitching has been difficult for Dallas, as the staff reflecting a 5.86 ERA on the year has endured a lot of tough innings of late. Also haunting the team is 32 walks, while striking out 60 opponent batters.
Sophomore Blake Palmer (Coppell, Texas) has allowed three runs in nine innings for a 2.00 ERA. Senior Martin Cronin (The Woodlands, Texas), and sophomore Ryan Hammonds (Cedar Hill, Texas) have each tallied three starts apiece. Cronin owns a 2.25 ERA, and Hammonds has a 4.50 ERA clip through 18 innings to lead UD's arms.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
East Texas Baptist dropped an 8-1 decision in the conclusion of a three-game series at University of Texas at Dallas on Feb. 20. Prior to the setback, ETBU rattled off six victories in a row, which includes its last four at the home confines.
Matt Sullivan sports a .323 batting average in nine appearances and is among a trio of Tigers with 10 hits for a team-best. Rounding out the unit are Connor Combs, who reflects a .313 clip, and Dynas Doud with a .278 average. Combs has cracked two long balls, and is tied with five RBI.
Zach Compton and Doud also are etching five runs batted in each. Compton is hitting .300.
As a team, ETBU has swiped 15 of 21 stolen bases. Tyler Bates and Jaxon Rader each have four.
Jordan Wilkerson leads the starting rotation with a 1-1 mark and 3.38 ERA. He has tallied nine strikeouts in 16 innings. Also matching a team-most 16 innings is Zack Tampke with three starts and a 4.50 ERA.
Jimmy Russo has worked five scoreless innings in five appearances. He's notched both saves in as many attempts.
HISTORY
Dating back to 2010, the Crusaders hold a 9-4 record versus East Texas Baptist University, with the programs trading series wins the last two. The home team has owned the advantage the last two seasons.
In 2014, Dallas managed to win the first two games by 8-4 and 4-0 results. A sweep was unattained after a 4-2 setback in the second nine-inning affair of a doubleheader.
In the series opener, UD ripped 13 hits with a quartet of players garnering multiple hit efforts. Current junior Tug McRoberts (Beaumont, Texas) notched a three-for-four day to pace the outburst.
Other returners on the roster that managed the category were Keele and Villanueva.
Cronin tossed seven innings and allowed four runs on seven hits. He fanned three Tigers.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Dallas plays six games in six days with a doubleheader at Howard Payne University on March 10. The first of the twinbill is at 1 p.m.
On the next day, UD makes up a rained out affair with LeTourneau at 7 p.m.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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