Offense in Game 2 gives Baseball a split; Austin College walks-off in low-scoring Opener
SHERMAN, Texas – The University of Dallas baseball team (7-26, 3-14 SCAC) utilized a five-run second inning in game two of a doubleheader en route to a 9-4 victory at Austin College (8-17, 6-8 SCAC) to capture a split on Saturday.
The victory snapped a 14-game slide for Dallas, who would fall 2-1 in the first contest of the twinbill on a walk-off.
In the triumph, UD managed to compile five runs in the second, which ties a season-most for times scored in a frame. The Crusaders have done it four times now, with the most recent in a 14-9 setback versus University of Texas at Dallas. Saturday's conference win moves Dallas to 3-1 in contests where the squad boasts that crooked number.
Despite committing six errors to Austin College's three, the visitors would benefit from two miscues in the second with four of the five runs unearned. Seniors Trevor Keele (Edgewood, Texas) and Anthony Armstrong (Richardson, Texas) tallied RBI singles, with Armstrong picking up a pair to round out the run production that inning.
The duo would each notch two RBI apiece and were part of a five-player group to pick up multiple base knocks for the Crusaders.
AC got on the scoreboard in the third inning, but the Navy and White played add-on with at least a run occurring during innings four through six. In the fourth, Dallas picked up two with Keele singling to left center for his second run knocked in. Senior Jake Pierce (Tucson, Ariz.) drove the designated hitter in on a sacrifice fly.
The largest lead of the game for the Crusaders was 9-1. The Roos' did put a run up in the sixth and two in the eighth to complete the scoring on the afternoon.
Joining the quintet of multi-hit performances for UD included: sophomores Alex Stack (Keller, Texas), Avery Arnold (McKinney, Texas), and JP Fasone (Englewood, Colo.). Pounding doubles for three of the squad's 13 hits were Stack, Armstrong, and Arnold. Stack also scored twice as senior Luciano Villanueva (San Antonio, Texas) joined the trio with an RBI in the triumph.
Earning the win for Dallas was sophomore Ryan Hammonds (Cedar Hill, Texas), who went seven innings and limited AC to two runs (one earned) on three hits. It is the third time the right has given up one earned run or less and gone at least seven on the campaign. Hammonds (2-8) garnered his first victory in the feat. The righty added two walks and five punch outs to his final line.
Sophomore Cole Morden (Arlington, Texas) and junior Brian Donley (Chicago, Ill.) pitched an inning each to finish the streak-stopper.
For the Roos' Todd Takabuki picked up the lone multiple hit outing, with one of them being a home run in the sixth inning. Mychael Parish (1-5) was saddled in the setback with seven runs (three earned) give up on nine hits. He walked one to go with four strikeouts.
In the series-opener, a pitching duel ensued for both the Crusaders and Austin College as neither squad scored until the seventh inning. All runs would be tallied in the final three frames of the eventual walk-off win for the Roos'.
Dallas would be outhit 9-4, but a home run in the top of the seventh by Armstrong lifted the road team on the scoreboard first. It was the outfielder's second of the campaign and both have occurred within the past five contests at the time.
The two-out blast wasn't enough as AC knotted the affair in the bottom of the eighth. Takabuki got the frame started with a lead-off double, and would come in from third with two away on a single to center field by Dylan Day.
A hit to right field in the ninth by Josh Coughennower was the difference in completing the come-from-behind rally as Jeremy Halford crossed the plate. After UD's Villanueva (0-1) induced a groundout, the Maroon and Gold earned a pair of walks from Halford and Thomas Oberg to set the stage for the game-winner.
Getting the start on the bump for the Crusaders was senior Martin Cronin (The Woodlands, Texas). The right-hander tossed eight innings for the third time this season, and reflected a stat line: 1 run, eight hits, three walks, and three strikeouts. His allowed run total ties a season-low, but marks the lowest when going at least seven.
Seniors Nolan Kipp (Folsom, Calif.), Villanueva, and Pierce also recorded base knocks for Dallas. The Navy and White turned five double plays throughout the game, while AC made three.
A pair of players garnered multiple hits for the Roos' with Oberg and Takabuki achieving the mark.
Brett Moody (3-1) went the distance and earned the winning decision for Austin College. He scattered four hits and only blemish was the Armstrong dinger. Moody did not give up a walk and fanned eight.
UP NEXT
The rubber-match has been moved to Monday, Apr. 20 due to weather. First pitch for the rescheduled contest is slated for 6:30 p.m.