SERIES PREVIEW: Dallas vs. Southwestern (3/21; DH) | (3/22)
(Photo Graphic Courtesy of Hannah Miller)
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
Video (Weather permitting)
FIRST PITCH
The University of Dallas baseball team (6-12, 2-1 SCAC) opens a three-game series with Southwestern University (8-8) on March 21-22 at Crusader Field. The first two are slated for Saturday with a start time at 12 p.m. The series concludes the next day with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
Dallas is playing its second-straight Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) series, and looks to build off its two-game winning streak from the conference opening weekend at Schreiner University.
A note, the Navy and White will be at the friendly confines for the first time since Feb. 18 versus Castleton. UD is 2-3 at home.
LAST SERIES
A pair of two-run innings late in the games were enough to lift the Crusaders in 8-6 and 5-3 respective decisions at Schreiner last week to begin league play. Dallas fell in the opening tilt 7-4.
In the second of a twin bill, UD ended a 10-game skid by rallying with three runs in the final two innings of the ballgame. A home run by senior Luciano Villanueva (San Antonio, Texas) knotted the affair 6-all in the eighth.
Freshman Zach San Roman (Miami, Fla.) ripped a go-ahead single that would prove to be the difference in this one. Villanueva reached on an error to help the visitors secure an insurance run and even the three-game set at the moment.
After building a 3-0 advantage in the opening at bat for Dallas on the finale, the Mountaineers answered with two in the bottom half, and tied the contest in the sixth inning. UD didn't score again until the eighth inning.
San Roman was the hero again, bolstering a double that plated a pair. Senior Trevor Keele (Edgewood, Texas) captured a pair of saves, while sitting down six of seven batters faced. He fanned two in the series winner.
LEADERBOARD
Villanueva boasts the team-bests in several offensive categories, by slashing a .351/.413/.526 on the year. The senior leads the squad with 10 RBI, is tied for the team-lead with a pair of homers. Matched with him is Keele.
A first baseman, Keele has been tearing the cover off the ball with 12 hits in the past six contests; including a four-game hitting streak and three multi-hit affairs. The native of Edgewood, Texas, boasted a season-high four hits in the last game, and now paces the Navy and White with 22 hits. His hot span has improved his average to a .328 clip.
Rounding out the trio of .300 batting average batters is sophomore Alex Stack (Keller, Texas). The third baseman is hitting .323 and has recorded a hit in three of the last four.
Other solid contributors of late for Dallas are freshman Patch Healy (Plano, Texas) and junior Jake Pierce (Tucson, Ariz.).
Healy is hitting .286 with 10 runs scored and seven RBI. He posted four hits in the last five of the road trip. The rookie has reached safely in six-straight and seven of eight contests this month.
Pierce has recently returned the starting lineup, made three starts and has garnered five hits in 10 at bats.
From the bump, junior Denton Martin (Denton, Texas) has etched a 2.25 ERA in three starts. Keele has made six appearances and closed out three saves. He has a 1.42 ERA and has 11 strikeouts.
Sophomore Ryan Hammonds (Cedar Hill, Texas) has compiled the most punch outs with 24 and a team-high 35 innings. He displays a 3.90 ERA with six games, five counting as starts on the hill.
SCOUTING THE PIRATES
Southwestern will begin the first official conference series this weekend, and is coming off a stretch of four games at Tucson, Arizona. The Pirates took three of four, including the second game against Wesleyan College. SU used a six-run first inning, and were able to ride that to a 6-3 final.
The Black and Gold are 2-3 on the road this season, and are 1-2 when opposing SCAC programs. A non-conference series at Austin College was cancelled, and earlier this month, the Pirates fell in two of three at Georgetown, Texas, to Texas Lutheran University.
Will Cates has performed with a monstrous .406 average and 28 hits. He has launched two of the team's three long balls. Ben Little and Robert Wehman are batting .316 and .305, respectively.
As a team, Southwestern has posted 23 doubles, with Ethan Hallmark providing a quartet of two-baggers. Four players are tied with three.
On the mound, Jeremy Rice has logged the most innings with 22 innings and four starts. He has tallied a 1.64 ERA and factored into decisions with a 2-0 record. Noah Clark holds a team-high three wins and a 3.31 earned run average. Riley Wayland has notched three saves and 0.73 ERA clip.
In the preseason conference polls, Southwestern was tabbed for fourth, while Dallas was selected fifth.
HISTORY
Dating back to 2011, the programs have met several times on the field, with UD owning an 11-6 record. However, Southwestern has won the last four match-ups.
Dallas went 2-1 in Irving, Texas, clinching a non-conference series win last season. The scores in the triumphs were 5-2 and 4-1.
UP NEXT
Dallas remains at home for a season-long, six game home stand on March 28-29. It will be a three-game conference series versus Texas Lutheran.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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