Crusaders rally Twice to Secure Sunday Victory at Sul Ross State
ALPINE, Texas – The University of Dallas baseball team claimed its first series win of the spring in 11-10 fashion at Sul Ross State University. The Sunday matchup featured a combined 26 hits with each squad smacking 13, and five lead changes. Dallas trailed at one point 7-2, but produced five runs in the seventh to reclaim the advantage. After the Lobos forced a three-run eighth to grab a 10-9 edge going into UD's final at bat, the visitors hustled for two more and would hang on to secure the rubber game.
GAME INFORMATION
Final: University of Dallas 11, Sul Ross State University 10
Records: Dallas (2-1), Sul Ross State (1-2)
Pitching decisions: W) Morden (1-0) L) DeLeon (0-1)
Both teams broke onto the scoreboard in the second innings. The Crusaders stacked an early lead with a pair in their half of the frame. For the second straight day, freshman Mark Peterson (Cincinnati, Ohio) drilled a home run over the left field wall. His blast brought in sophomore Cole Wessling (Denton, Texas).
Sul Ross turned the momentum quickly with a four-spot in the bottom of the inning and extended the advantage with three more runs in the fourth. UD answered with a one in the fifth and sixth, but would leave the bases juiced in both innings.
It was the seventh inning, where the Navy and White finally broke through with five runs to set a game-high for digits on the board within an inning. With one out and two runners in scoring position, a wild pitch would advance sophomore Derek Valiska (Bastrop, Texas) and freshman Mark Resnick (Houston, Texas). Valiska would score on the errant play to cut things to 7-5. Peterson was at the dish when that sequenced occurred and drew a walk.
The next batter was freshman Paul Scioli (Lubbock, Texas). The catcher ripped a triple to knot the contest. Freshman Thomas Martin (Vancouver, Wash.) gave Dallas the lead for the first time since the second on an RBI groundout. Teammate Josh Abalos (Lewisville, Texas) smacked a double to bring home junior Avery Arnold (McKinney, Texas), who had just stolen second within the at bat.
The advantage was not enough to keep SRSU at bay, with the home team countering for three runs in the bottom of the eight. All the runs came off the bat of Eli Gallego, who doubled to the left side to clear all the bases.
Dallas was resilent again, with the first three batters on the visiting team reaching base via an error, hit by pitch, and walk, respectively. Arnold would beat out a potential double play as Martin got snuffed at second, but a bad throw on the relay to first would allow Peterson to scamper home for the go-ahead run. Scioli had already knotted the contest on a conceded run.
In the bottom of the ninth, junior Cole Morden (Arlington, Texas) surrendered a one-out hit, but would slam the door with a strikeout on the final Lobos' plate appearance.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Resnick led with a 3-for-5 day at the dish and tied a game-high for base knocks. Also managing multiple hits for Dallas included: Abalos (2-5), Wessling (2-4), and Scioli (2-4).
- Scioli drove in three runs, while Peterson and Arnold each contributed a pair of RBIs. Peterson would score three times and Scioli and Wessling crossed home twice. Arnold and Abalos swiped two steals apiece.
- The Crusaders logged six of their 13 hits – matched a season-high - for extra bases. Four were marked doubles, with two from Resnick and the other two-baggers from Abalos and Wessling. Scioli's tripile and Peterson's homer were the other notable hits.
- Sophomore Abraham Griesbauer (Troy, Mo.) got the start and went three innings. He allowed eight hits and four runs (three earned).
- Junior William Marshall (Frisco, Texas) pitched three innings of scoreless relief and punched out four batters. Morden limited the damage in the eighth and would fan two hitters in 1.2 innings to finish the victory.
- Gallego paced the Lobos at the plate with a 3-for-5 day and game-high five RBI. He popped two of the team's three doubles. David Gonzalez added a two-base hit and Kleat Smith went yard in the second to initially tie the game two-all. Johnny Campos, Kit Henderson, and Smith all recorded multiple hit games.
- Cody Remore went 4.2 innings on the bump to start for SRSU. His stat line read (4.2, 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 ER, 1 BB, and 4 SO). DeLeon would get the loss in the ninth. He allowed two runs (one earned) on no hits.
- Both teams committed three errors apiece. The miscues haunted the Lobos more as three runs would be unearned compared to one for Dallas.
UP NEXT
Dallas is on the road on February 6-7 at No.22 University of Texas at Tyler. It will be a three-game series starting with two on Saturday.