Hardin-Simmons edges Baseball with Two wins Sunday
ABILENE, Texas – The University of Dallas baseball team fell twice on Sunday at Hardin-Simmons University in non-league action. The Crusaders were blanked 3-0 in a seven-inning contest to start the day. Hardin-Simmons secured the sweep with a three-run seventh in the nightcap of a 7-6 final.
GAME ONE INFORMATION
Team Results: University of Dallas (0), Hardin-Simmons University (3)
Team Records: Dallas (4-14), Hardin-Simmons (9-6)
Pitching Decisions: W) Spears (3-2) L) Villanueva (0-1)
The teams were nearly even in the hit column, combining for less than double-digits in the game, but Hardin-Simmons scored once in the first three innings to capture the game one triumph.
Taylor Cooling reached on a hit by pitch to start the first plate appearance for the Cowboys in the contest. He was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and then hustled to third on a wild pitch. With Jaime Ball still batting, Cooling scored on a called balk by senior Luciano Villanueva (San Antonio, Texas). Villanueva made his first start of the spring, and second appearance on the mound for UD.
The Cowboys doubled the lead with an Elijah Perez double down the left field line in the second. The scoring was completed in the third inning, with Cooling advancing on a failed pickoff attempt that was thrown away by the shortstop in a rundown.
The Crusaders did leave seven men on base throughout the game. The best scoring opportunity for Dallas the first inning. After consecutive singles to center field by freshman Josh Abalos (Lewisville, Texas) and senior Rene Vargas, Jr. (San Antonio, Texas) to start the game, the Crusaders appeared to be in a good spot.
However, following a one-out walk to freshman Thomas Martin (Vancouver, Wash.), the Cowboys got the force groundout they needed to get Abalos out from first to home. The road team left them stranded after the final out was made.
Other than that, the only other time Dallas had runners in scoring position was the top of the sixth. Junior JP Fasone (Englewood, Colo.) and Martin advanced to second and third, respectively on a two-out wild pitch. A hard lineout by freshman Mark Resnick (Houston, Texas) ended the threat.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Vargas, Jr. had two of the team's four hits. His 2-for-3 was part of an eventual four-game hitting streak.
- Other UD players logging hits were Abalos and Resnick. Abalos reached twice on a walk, and Martin had the other free pass.
- Each team committed one error.
- Villanueva made the start and went a career-long, six innings. He allowed three runs on five hits with a walk and strikeout.
- Hardin-Simmons was led by Colton Peacock with a 2-for-3 performance, a double, and run scored. Zack de Luna had a stolen base and Cooling scored twice.
- Colton Spears went a complete, seven-inning, game. He blanked UD and limited its hit output to four. Spears walked two and struck out three.
GAME TWO INFORMATION
Team Results: University of Dallas (6), Hardin-Simmons University (7)
Team Records: Dallas (4-15), Hardin-Simmons (10-6)
Pitching Decisions: W) Barnett (2-0) L) Morden (1-1)
The second contest was a different story with 22 hits combined and 15 coming from Hardin-Simmons. The Crusaders led 6-3 at one point, taking advantage of a four-run fifth. Unfortunately, the home squad countered with the final four runs of the game, including three in the seventh to take the lead and third win of the series.
Dallas was up 2-0 after one half of the inning was complete. Abalos started out the second straight game with a knock to center. After a walk from Vargas, Jr. and the two lead runners advancing on a Villanueva groundout, the Crusaders broke into the run column with junior Zach San Roman (Miami, Fl.) bunting in Abalos. Martin singled up the middle to complete the scoring for UD.
The Cowboys cut the margin in half in the bottom of the second, and gained their first lead of the matchup with a two-spot in the fourth. Taylor Cooling doubled down the right field line for a pair of ribbies.
It was a trio of errors in the fifth that helped give the Crusaders momentum to go back in front. Three of the first four batters in the UD frame reached on a miscue by the Cowboys' infield. Two were on the second baseman. The second error of that sequence with Villanueva reaching scored Abalos to knot the game 3-all.
Martin would double to center field, which brought in San Roman and Villanueva. Fasone had an infield single to drive in Martin two hitters later. All four runs scored by UD in that fifth inning were unearned.
HSM swung the momentum back in the bottom part of the seventh with three runs on four hits. De Luna doubled to left center to tie the game, and Ball singled through the right side. He would be out at second as UD right fielder Paul Scioli (Lubbock, Texas) notched the assist, but de Luna hustled around third and got the run counted before the putout. That finalized the last lead change and resulted in the final tally, 7-6.
The final six outs were made by Dallas in order.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Martin garnered the lone multi-hit game for Dallas with two and had a game-high, three RBI. He also had the only extra base hit with the double.
- Also smacking hits not included earlier were: Vargas, Jr., Villanueva, and sophomore Cole Wessling (Denton, Texas).
- The Crusaders left seven on base and made one error. Vargas, Jr. had a stolen base.
- Sophomore Abraham Griesbauer (Troy, Mo.) went 3.1 innings in the start. He allowed three runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Five pitchers were used altogether for Dallas.
- Junior Cole Morden (Arlington, Texas) went 0.2 innings in the loss. He allowed three runs on three hits.
- Hardin-Simmons leadoff hitter, Cooling, scorched the ball with a 5-for-5 game. He doubled twice, drove in two and scored once. Berryman contributed a 3-for-4 game and was only player in the home stats to score more than once.
- The top three batters in the HSU lineup card combined with four of the team's five RBI.
- De Luna joined Cooling with two doubles and Jacques had one. Berryman's triple completed six extra base hits for the Cowboys, as they etched 15.
- Kyle Barnett earned the win in relief. He tossed 4.2 innings and shutout the Crusaders through that stretch. Barnett walked one and allowed two hits, while striking out three.
UP NEXT
Dallas begins Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) action on March 19-20 at Trinity University. The doubleheader is on the 19th.