No. 2 Trinity takes first pair of games on Saturday against Crusaders
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – A hard fought battle in game two of a doubleheader at the second ranked Trinity University on Saturday favored the home team, as the University of Dallas baseball team was edged 5-3. That setback came on the heels of an 8-0 loss in the opener as the Tigers secured the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) series.
GAME ONE INFORMATION
Team Scores: University of Dallas (0), #2 Trinity University (8)
Team Records: Dallas (4-16, 0-1 SCAC), Trinity (18-4, 3-1 SCAC)
Pitching Decisions: W) Nelson (4-0), L) Palmer (0-2)
In the first contest, the top 25 ranked Tigers were able to use seven runs over the first three innings to capture a shutout on Dallas. Most of the damage was done in Trinity's first trip to the plate, as a four-run inning started the home team's nice afternoon.
After Colin Serkowski got picked off at second base, – the Crusaders were first in the league with 15 coming into the weekend – TU rattled four runs with two outs in the frame. The big knock occurred from Jose Santos clearing the bases on a three-RBI double to left center.
The advantage for Trinity improved to 7-0 with a three-spot in the third inning. All runs came from the first trio of hits for the Maroon and Gold in the stretch. Drew Butler led off with a single, and Jeremy Wolf doubled down the right field line to put the pair in scoring position. Nicholas Jewett rocked the ball in the same spot but this time legged out a triple. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Carter McEachern to cap the scoring in the third.
Dallas threatened right back in the top of the fourth with the first two batters getting hits. These came from freshman Thomas Martin (Vancouver, Wash.) and junior Zach San Roman (Miami, Fl.), respectively. After advancing them up 90 feet, UD would strand them on two strikeouts. Otherwise, it was too much of a deficit for the Crusaders in the opener.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Senior Rene Vargas, Jr. (San Antonio, Texas) set his season-long hitting streak to five.
- Vargas, Jr. and San Roman both went 2-for-4. Freshman Mark Peterson (Cincinnati, Ohio) and junior Avery Arnold (McKinney, Texas) each had hits.
- Arnold added a stolen base (6).
- Junior Blake Palmer (Coppell, Texas) got his first start of the season. He went three innings and allowed seven runs on six hits in the loss. Also walked four while striking out two.
- Freshman Paul Scioli (Lubbock, Texas) and sophomore Kyle Gamez (Buda, Texas) tossed the final three innings of scoreless ball. Scioli went two of them.
- Trinity outhit UD 9-7. The road team had an error, while TU committed none.
- Santos was the lone Tiger to have multiple hits as he went a perfect 2-for-2. Both knocks were doubles. Altogether, Trinity had five extra base hits.
- Jewett and McEachern had two RBIs apiece and Santos contributed his three on his double.
- Troy Nelson went five innings to qualify for the win on the mound. He struck out seven and scattered five hits. He walked none. Dylan McGee struck out the side in a perfect ninth.
GAME TWO INFORMATION
Team Scores: University of Dallas (3), #2 Trinity University (5)
Team Records: Dallas (4-17, 0-2 SCAC), Trinity (19-4, 4-1 SCAC)
Pitching Decisions: W) Gray (4-3), L) Felchak (0-7) S) Hoffman (1)
The Crusaders took the first swing at Trinity in the latter game, with Martin singling up the middle to drive in freshman Josh Abalos (Lewisville, Texas). Abalos led the game off with a double down the left field line to go opposite field. He now has a hit in 14 of the past 17 games.
Dallas doubled the advantage with a run in the third. Martin was credited with the RBI again, and Abalos scored on the fielder's choice as he hustled home. Martin advanced to second base on the play, but would be left there after two more outs were made on the next respective hitters.
It was Trinity's turn to swing the momentum back with the second, three-run third inning of the afternoon. With one down, Serkowski and Wolf pulled a double steal and the second walk in a row to Jewett loaded the bases for McEachern. He singled to right field and Santos reached on a fielder's choice, as Trinity knotted the game back up 2-all. The inning ended on a caught stealing on George Haaland at third base, but the sequence was ignited on a wild pitch. McEachern scored the go-ahead run on that pitch.
The home squad added to the lead with the fourth run in the fourth. Jake Martin created the tally on the board with his legs, forcing an errant throw on a stolen base at third. He scored on the play. Finally, the Tigers put an insurance run up in the seventh.
Prior to that fifth run by TU, the Crusaders had nipped the margin to one run (4-3). In the top of the fifth, Dallas benefited from a failed pickoff attempt on Arnold. He scored on a throwing error by the catcher.
Since the UD third inning, only one hit was recorded by the visitors. Senior Luciano Villanueva (San Antonio, Texas) etched that mark with a single to right center in the ninth. He advanced to second on a wild pitch, but the final two outs of the game were a fly out to center right and strikeout.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Abalos was the lone UD hitter with more than one hit (2-for-4). He doubled (2) and scored two runs (14).
- Martin managed two RBI (13). He takes the team-lead on the leaderboard in that category by one.
- The heart of the Dallas lineup (Martin, San Roman, and Villanueva) combined for half of the team's six hits.
- Arnold added a pair of walks. Only two the Crusaders gained overall.
- Arnold swiped two more steals (8). Abalos (6) and junior JP Fasone (1) (Englewood, Colo.) each garnered one to let Dallas match a season-most four thefts for third time on campaign.
- UD committed more errors with a 5-2 display.
- Junior Eric Felchak (The Woodlands, Texas) went 5.1 innings in the start. Third time for the lefty to match that season-long. He allowed four runs (3 earned) six hits. Walked five and struck out four.
- Classmate William Marshall (Frisco, Texas) went the last 2.2 innings and allowed an unearned run on four hits to go with four punch outs.
- Trinity recorded 10 hits. McEachern, Martin, and Andrew Walters had 2-for-3 games. McEachern and Santos were awarded the two ribbies on the Trinity side. Three runs were not credited with an RBI.
- 11 stolen bases were taken by the Tigers. Martin headlined the column with three, while Serkowski and McEachern swiped two apiece. That is a season-most allowed by UD.
- Ryan Gray went 6.2 innings in the win. He allowed three runs (2 earned) on five hits. He walked two and fanned five. Andrew Hoffman locked down the save with the last 2.1 innings of one-hit ball. He struck out three.
UP NEXT
Dallas wraps up the series tomorrow at 1 p.m.