Marshall, Crusaders hold off Texas Lutheran to Take Series on Sunday
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas baseball team claimed its second series win of the year, by holding onto a 5-4 advantage on Sunday. The Crusaders topped Texas Lutheran University in the rubber game of the non-conference, three-game set.
After picking up the first home victory against the Bulldogs since 2010 yesterday, UD secured a series win against the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC)-opponent at the friendly confines since that same year, too. Dallas completed the 10-game homestand 2-8.
GAME INFORMATION
Teams: Texas Lutheran University (4), University of Dallas (5)
Records: Texas Lutheran (6-5), Dallas (4-9)
Pitching decisions: W) A. Griesbauer (1-1), L) Rimko (1-1), S) Marshall (1)
Sophomore Abraham Griesbauer (Troy, Mo.) battled out of gates, limiting Texas Lutheran to a single run after the first four hitters reached. The Crusaders would reclaim the lead and never relinquish it in the bottom of the second inning.
Freshman Thomas Martin (Vancouver, Wash.) and senior Rene Vargas, Jr. (San Antonio, Texas) got Dallas in the hit column with back-to-back knocks to right field to start the big frame. A sacrifice bunt by freshman Jordan Stickler (Grand Rapids, Mich.) moved both runners to scoring position, and teammate Mark Peterson (Cincinnati, OHIO) walked to load the bags. Junior JP Fasone (Englewood, Colo.) would line a first pitch single back to center field and bring in Martin to knot the game.
On the next plate appearance, the Crusader runners advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch, as Vargas, Jr. hustled home to give them a 2-1 advantage. The current batter at the time, junior Avery Arnold (McKinney, Texas), would draw a free pass to load the bases back again. Freshman Josh Abalos (Lewisville, Texas) rounded out the run production by beating out an RBI single to the short stop.
The Bulldogs would nip the deficit to one (3-2) in the fifth inning. Dallas responded in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runs to build its greatest margin of the contest to 5-2. The Navy and White took advantage of two errors by TLU to start the frame. Arnold would garner the pair of runs-batted-in on the infield hit.
It was a nail-biter in the ninth for the home squad, as Texas Lutheran rallied with two runs. Rayce Gatlin singled up the middle to plate both runs with one out. He would be the tying-run on second and the number three hitter, Justin Law, was at the plate with two outs. Junior William Marshall (Frisco, Texas) induced a fly ball to right and sealed his first career save.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Arnold led the Crusaders with a 2-for-3 day at the plate and picked up two RBI. Abalos added to his team-lead in hits with his 14th. The speedy tandem of Arnold and Abalos each swiped their fourth steal in the game.
- Vargas, Jr. scored twice, while Martin scored for the third time in the series.
- Both teams matched each other with seven hits, and TLU committed two errors compared to the Crusaders' lone miscue.
- Griesbauer earned his first collegiate win, tossing five innings and allowing two runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out two.
- Marshall completed the victory with a career-most four innings out of the bullpen. Marshall allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in the finale. The righty combined for six innings after going two in Saturday's win.
- Alejandro Gutierrez and Justin Law led TLU with multi-hit games, combining 4-for-9 and an RBI and run scored. Law had the only extra base hit of the game with a double and did snag a stolen bag.
- Cody Rimko was saddled with the loss, after starting with 5.2 innings. He allowed five runs (3 earned) on four hits with two walks and a strikeout.
UP NEXT
Dallas embarks on a season-long, 11-game road trip. The stint begins at Austin College on March 5-6 for three non-conference games.