Baseball gains Split with Howard Payne on Saturday; Score Season-High 8 runs in Win
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas baseball team split Saturday's doubleheader with Howard Payne University to start a nine-game homestand. After dropping a 6-2 decision in the series opener, the Crusaders took advantage of miscues and utilized its aggressive baserunning to win 8-4 and snap a six-game slide. Both teams on the losing side managed three errors in their games.
GAME ONE INFORMATION
Team Scores: Howard Payne University (6), University Dallas (2) (Final 7 innings)
Team Records: Howard Payne (7-6), Dallas (4-8)
Pitching Records: W) Parks (2-1), L) Hammonds (1-2) S) Moseley (4)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
- The Crusaders outhit Howard Payne 7-6, but the guests posted one more extra base hit (3-2).
- This is the 5th time Dallas has notched seven knocks this year (2nd highest amount).
- Nathan Patton (McKinney, Texas) and Jordan Stickler (Grand Rapids, Mich.) posted multi-hit games for UD with 2-for-3 performances.
- Patton had a double and drove in a run.
- Stickler swiped two bases.
- Mark Peterson (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Paul Scioli (Lubbock, Texas) both added knocks. Peterson tripled and Scioli swiped a bag.
- Ryan Hammonds (Cedar Hill, Texas) remained consistent with his 4th start of the year going seven innings in just as many appearances. Hammonds allowed six runs (2 earned) on six hits. He walked two and fanned six. Additionally, Hammonds surpassed 150 career innings (151) and 100 career strikeouts (104).
- For the Yellow Jackets, Brett Quackenbush led the way with three hits in four at bats. He was a home run shy of the cycle as he clobbered two-of-three HPU extra base hits for a double and triple. Bailey Smith had the other double.
- The duo mentioned above each tallied a ribbie.
- Matthew Parks won by starting 5.2 innings. He scattered six hits and allowed a run while walking one and striking out six.
- Zach Moseley completed the seven-inning contest with two punch outs in 1.1 innings. He allowed a run on a hit, but did enter in the 6th inning with the go-ahead run on deck.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Crusaders grabbed a brief 1-0 advantage in the second inning. After Peterson led off the frame with a triple. Patton singled to right field and scored the first baseman.
A pair of errors in the next trip for Howard Payne allotted for three runs to cross. All were unearned as the guests gained the momentum needed to lead the remainder of the contest. Hammonds walked two guys and each of them scored on a two-out error that Cliff Lunceford reached on. A wild pitch later allowed Lunceford to score after Noah Payne had singled the previous at bat to right.
Howard Payne stretched the lead to 4-1 in the fourth inning. The Crusaders had an opportunity in the bottom of the sixth, but could not capitalize. JP Fasone (Englewood, Colo.) reached on an infield single. He was out on a Stickler fielder's choice to third but Stickler swiped second to get to scoring position after a Seth Hanson (Apache Junction, Ariz.) strikeout. Hanson did end his 10-game consecutive on-base streak after that final plate appearance. A walk to Enrique Vigil (San Antonio, Texas) ended Parks Day, but Moseley struck out Peterson swinging to end the threat.
In their final turn to bat, the Yellow Jackets stretched the lead with a pair of runs, and Dallas was only able to gain one back in its half of the seventh.
GAME TWO INFORMATION
Team Scores: Howard Payne University (4), University of Dallas (8)
Team Records: Howard Payne (7-7), Dallas (5-8)
Pitching Records: W) Felchak (1-1) L) George (0-3)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
- Fasone posted the lone UD multi-hit game with a 2-for-3 showing. He scored twice, drove in one, and earned a free pass.
- Hitters 1-4 combined for all five Dallas hits. The guests also had five knocks.
- Peterson went deep for his 2nd homer of the week and season. Dallas has blasted two at Crusader Field this spring.
- Stickler combined for four stolen bases in the pair of games. He also scored two times.
- Josh Abalos (Lewisville, Texas) nabbed three thefts for a career-most. He had one previous successful one coming into the day.
- Altogether, the home squad made eight stolen bases combined. That's the most since March 21, 2012, when the team made that exact mark against Texas Wesleyan University. That same season a month later (April 21), UD took 9 steals against Dallas Christian College.
- On the mound Abraham Griesbauer (Troy, Mo.) started and logged 1.1 innings. After he allowed three runs on as many hits and walking two, Eric Felchak (The Woodlands, Texas) became the next lefty in a row to enter.
- This southpaw earned his 1st win of the year while tossing 3.2 innings on a run and hit allowed. Felchak matched five walks with as many strikeouts.
- Cole Morden (Arlington, Texas) and Kyle Gamez (Burleson, Texas) ended the last two frames with scoreless results.
- The Dallas staff walked nine guys for the second time this week.
- Lunceford posted a double for HPU's only extra base hit. He was one-of-two players with a pair of hits. Blake Null had the other one. Joshua Gerig completed the five team hits and added a ribbie.
- Jonathan George was saddled with the loss. He threw half the innings while allowing seven runs (4 earned) on three hits. He walked three and struck out two.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Crusaders attacked early again scoring first. This time it was their first trip up. Fasone singled to center and then moved to second on a wild pitch. Stickler walked and then two batters later Peterson pulverized a three-run dinger.
It was a short-lived advantage as Howard Payne answered with just as many in its next team at bat. The trio of runs for the visitors were a little bit more creative. A bases loaded hit by pitch drove the first runner in. Gerig singled back to the pitcher for another RBI. From there Felcack was summoned and he struck out Lunceford. However, a wild pitch on the punch out allowed Chris Byrd to hustle home and even things.
Dallas was seeing double though in the bottom of the frame and copied its previous run total during that span. This time it was the Yellow Jackets that had errors prove costly in the field of play. In the inning, Dallas moved up 6-3 and did so only on one hit, which was a RBI-infield single by Fasone to shortstop.
In the fourth inning, UD used its speed from Abalos and Stickler to etch another run. After Stickler walked and alertly hurried to second and once a throw was drawn Abalos scampered home for a successful double steal. Peterson added to his RBI count to round out Dallas season-high eight runs.
Up 8-3, the Yellow Jackets took a run back in the top of the 5th but none more as Dallas won for the second time at its own confines in five games this year.
UP NEXT
Dallas and Howard Payne play in the rubber game tomorrow at 2 p.m.