Hammonds hurls Gem; Baseball splits with Sul Ross on Opening Day
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas baseball team split Saturday's doubleheader with Sul Ross State University to begin the regular season. In game one, Ryan Hammonds (Cedar Hill, Texas) cruised through six innings of being perfect. He allowed the lone hit in the 7th, but did record the shutout for his first victory of the season as the Crusaders earned a 1-0 decision.
In the second game of the twinbill, the Lobos evened the three-game series in 8-4 fashion. A five-run seventh turned out to be the difference in that contest.
GAME ONE INFORMATION
Team Scores: Sul Ross State (0), Dallas (1) (Final 7 innings)
Team Records: Sul Ross State (0-1), Dallas (1-0)
Pitching Records: W) Hammonds (1-0), L) Haros (0-1)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
- Hammonds went the distance in the scheduled seven inning game. He allowed a hit, no runs, no walks, and fanned 10 (career-high). Hammonds' previous highest strikeout total was seven, which occurred twice in 2015 (March 7 at East Texas Baptist, March 28 vs. Texas Lutheran).
- Zach San Roman (Miami, Fla.) provided the only offense required with a solo home run for the first of the year. It was his 3rd career long ball.
- Jordan Stickler (Grand Rapids, Mich.) went 1-for-1 and drew a walk. He and Zachary Taylor (Humble, Texas) each swiped a bag.
- Johnny Campos ruined Hammond's bid at perfection with Sul Ross State's lone hit.
- Justin Haros earned the tough loss with four innings of two-hit ball. He did strike out five and walked six.
HOW IT HAPPENED
San Roman's lead-off solo home run to left field started the third inning and broke a scoreless deadlock. It was the lone run UD picked up, as Sticklers hit in the 4th counted as the other one for the home dugout in this one.
Hammonds did not need offense, retiring the first 18 batters he faced. The senior also mowed down nine batters on the opposition via strikeouts.
Campos laced a single through the right side to ruin the perfect game and no-hit attempt to start the 7th inning. However, Hammonds remained sharp and got the next three hitters out respectively on a punch out, fly out center, and ground out to third.
Neither squad had many offensive chances in the first game of the season. The bats were as cold as the chilly weather in early February with three combined. Dallas did take advantage of some wildness by Haros, as they placed six guys on base via a free pass and one hit by pitch. However, the Crusaders stranded seven overall.
However most of the time the runners left were stranded. One heads up play for the Lobos occurred in the 4th when Nathan Patton (McKinney, Texas) was thrown out at home after Josh Abalos (Lewisville, Texas) had grounded out to first and it ended the frame.
This win makes it four straight season-opening victories against Sul Ross State University.
GAME TWO INFORMATION
Team Scores: Sul Ross State (8), Dallas (4)
Team Records: Sul Ross State (1-1), Dallas (1-1)
Pitchings Records: W) Marquez (1-0), L) Felchak (0-1)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
- Seth Hanson (Apache Junction, Ariz.) enjoyed a nice debut with two hits and two runs batted in. Hanson smacked the only UD extra base hit for a double.
- JP Fasone (Englewood, Colo.) also notched a pair of base knocks and drove in one. He scored a run too.
- Mark Peterson (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Stickler posted a hit apiece and Peterson walked twice.
- Eric Felchak (The Woodlands, Texas) took the start and logged six innings. He allowed nine hits, four runs (3 earned), walked none, and fanned six.
- Cole Morden (Arlington, Texas) threw two innings in relief. He allowed two runs (1 earned) on two hits and struck out three.
- Phillip Russell and Mike Munden led the Lobos with three hits each. Monden ripped a double.
- Colton Barrington and Wesley Moss picked up the other multi-hit games. Moss was one of five players with a single ribbie.
- Aaron Marquez worked five innings out of the bullpen. He scattered three hits and allowed a run and walk. The winning pitcher struck out six.
- Both pitching staffs had 10 strikeouts, and UD finished with 20 combined in the double dip.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lobos got on the board first in the 2nd inning with a Moss single through the left side. Bigley, who reached on the first of five Crusader errors, scored.
Dallas countered with a three-spot in the 4th inning to claim the lead. Fasone and Brice Cell (Keller, Texas) reached on singles to start rally. After a fielder's choice placed runners on the corners, Peterson walked to set up a big hit by Hanson. The sophomore doubled down the left field line. Peterson scored on the next at bat, as Paul Scioli (Lubbock, Texas) reached on a wild pitch after fanning.
It was Sul Ross that had reclaimed the advantage for good with five runs in the 7th. Munden's two-baggers sparked a string of three hits to start the inning. After UD went to Blake Palmer (Coppell, Texas) in relief, Campos hit a sacrifice fly to cut the margin at 3-2. A hit by pitch and walk with the bases loaded flipped the lead for the guests and that never changed as the inning concluded 6-3 with the Crusaders down.
Fasone got a run back in the bottom of the inning on a single, but two more runs in the 9thsecured the triumph for the Lobos.
UP NEXT
Dallas and Sul Ross play in the rubber game tomorrow at 1 p.m.