Thrillers for Baseball on Saturday; Split with No. 18 Centenary
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas baseball team entered the three-game series requiring a sweep to qualify for the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) next weekend. Dallas battled No. 18 Centenary College in both games, winning in extra innings 7-6. Another one-run contest occurred in the second contest, with the Crusaders being nipped 4-3.
The 10-inning contest was the first beyond regulation for Dallas since an 11-inning setback at Southwestern University on April 19, 2014. Final score of that was 8-7. That same season, UD fell at home in 11-innings to the same opponent on Saturday by a 5-4 decision. The last extra-inning triumph at Crusader Field as Apr. 20, 2013, as the same two teams played and Dallas won with the scores flipped, 5-4.
GAME ONE INFORMATION
Team Scores: #18 Centenary College (6), University of Dallas (7) (F/10)
Team Records: Centenary (25-10, 9-7 SCAC), Dallas (11-27, 7-9 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Marshall (3-2), L) Brown (2-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first four innings had a team post at least one run, with both scoring in each of their at-bats in the first and second innings. Centenary climbed ahead first with a run to start the top of the opening frame. Chris Zapata ripped a double to right field that scored Colten Maples, who had reached the prior at-bat with a single in a similar area.
Dallas responded with a three-run trip in the bottom half of the first to gain the lead. The Crusaders sent eight hitters to the plate, and matched just as many runs with hits. Junior Zach San Roman (Miami, Fl.) capped the trio of hits in a row with an RBI-single to center that knotted the game. Senior Luciano Villanueva (San Antonio, Texas) lifted a sacrifice fly ball to drive in freshman Thomas Martin (Vancouver, Wash.) Consecutive hit-by-pitches extended the two-out inning for UD, a passed ball with the bags loaded scored San Roman.
The Gents erased the deficit quickly with a two-spot in the next turn up. Zapata clobbered his second double in a row, this time to left field for a pair of runs driven in. However, on the same play Maples was thrown out a third by Villanueva to end the frame. In the bottom of the second, more wildness from Centenary starter Holden Novak happened with junior JP Fasone (Englewood, Colo.) walking and advancing to second on a wild pitch. Classmate Avery Arnold (McKinney, Texas) scored to push Dallas in front 4-3.
For the third straight inning, the Maroon and White etched a run on the scoreboard and the third time of the early afternoon was presented through the first third of the game. UD reclaimed the edge in the fourth on an RBI-groundout from Arnold. Sophomore Cole Wessling (Denton, Texas) began the frame with a double to left field. He advanced to third on a groundout by classmate Derek Valiska (Bastrop, Texas).
The scoring halted until the ninth inning. Junior Ryan Hammonds (Cedar Hill, Texas) entered in the fourth. Hammonds escaped a few jams in the early part of his outing, but settled into a nice groove at one point. The right-hander had retired nine straight, which included having the Gents leave the bases loaded in the sixth on a fly out.
That stretch by Hammonds led him to two down in the ninth and Dallas sporting a 6-4 advantage. The Gents battled with the pair of runs needed to force the first extra-inning contest since 2014. Aaron Quintanilla singled in the first run. After a pitching change, junior William Marshall (Frisco, Texas) allowed the tying run to be scored on a Cole Lavergne single.
The Crusaders were unable to answer in the ninth, but a lead-off walk to San Roman was the spark they needed for a crucial opening series victory. Freshman Jordan Stickler (Grand Rapids, Mich.) pinch ran and hustled to second on a passed ball. Two batters later, freshman Mark Peterson (Cincinnati, Ohio) drove in the game-winner, for UD's first walk-off win since March 29, 2014 versus Austin College.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Dallas outhit Centenary, 11-10, with Peterson's being the difference maker.
- Wessling posted a pair of doubles for two of UD's three extra-base knocks. He formed a trio of multi-hit performers with Martin and San Roman. Arnold's double was the other extra-base hit.
- Fourth contest this season Dallas logged at least three two-baggers.
- Top four spots in the UD order scored five runs. This included Stickler subbing and crossing on the game-winner.
- Co-SCAC Pitcher of the Week Villanueva earned the nod in the start. He threw three innings, with four runs (3 earned) on five hits. Villanueva added two walks and three punch outs.
- Hammonds final line: 5.2 innings, 2 runs, 3 hits, three walks, and two strikeouts.
- Marshall surrendered the lone hit that tied the game at the time, but would throw 1.1 innings for his third win.
- Behind Zapata's two extra-bases were Dakota Brown and Ian Graham with doubles. Maples joined Zapata and Graham with two-hit days.
- Novak threw 4.1 innings. He allowed five runs (4 earned) on six hits.
- Brown was saddled in the loss with 1.1 innings. He allowed an unearned run on two hits, while walking and striking out one.
- Both team's starters combined to hit five batters. Novak plunked three.
GAME TWO INFORMATION
Team Scores: #18 Centenary College (4), University of Dallas (3)
Team Records: Centenary (26-10, 10-7 SCAC), Dallas (11-27, 7-10 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Kirk (9-4), L) Marshall (3-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a game that was determined by the bats, the second of a twinbill featured a pitcher's duel as neither team cracked the run column until the seventh.
Centenary took the lead a sacrifice fly out by Michael Schimpf that scored Graham. Two one-out singles started the frame as Graham and Nick Delaneuville reached. They advanced on an error pick-off attempt by a walk to Brooks Williams loaded the bases anyway.
That run proved to be the difference-maker, as each squad plated three runs in the eighth inning. The number 18 ranked opponent increased the edge by a pair of runs as Brown singled Quintanilla. A throwing error added to the guest's lead, with all runs coming with two-outs.
There was no quit in the Crusaders, as Valiska singled to spark a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning. Arnold was hit by a pitch to extend the rally. Fasone singled to right, and a bobbled ball allowed all the runners to advance 90 feet. Martin kept the momentum going with an RBI-hit that plated two and cut the deficit to three.
Centenary's Kaleb Kirk tossed a gem, going the distance and had held UD to one hit through five innings. Dallas threatened with two in scoring position with a pair of base knocks, but stranded them. In the ninth, Kirk induced a game-inning double play secure his team's third seed in the SCAC Tournament.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-Six singles for Dallas. Fasone notched the lone multi-hit game.
- The nine, one, and two hitters scored a run as part of that eighth inning.
- UD's first three batters in the lineup recorded four hits combined.
- Martin has now reached base safely through 22 games, and is on a six-game hitting streak.
- Junior Erik Felchak (The Woodlands, Texas) started and tossed four plus innings. He did not allow a run on three hits and walked three.
- Hammonds pitched consecutive games for the first time in his career and went two scoreless on a hit and walk allowed.
- Marshall was credited with his second decision of the day, surrendering four runs (2 earned) on four hits. He and Hammonds struck out four of the staff's five.
- Centenary produced nine hits with Graham's double the lone extra-base one. Graham and Brown combined four-for-five with three runs scored. Graham had two.
- Kirk went nine innings. He allowed two earned runs and fanned eight.
UP NEXT
Dallas concludes the regular season Sunday at 1 p.m. "Senior Day" will be part of the program prior to first pitch.