Crusaders comeback on Saturday for SCAC-Opening Win against Texas Lutheran
IRVING, Texas – Five unanswered runs nipped a 4-0 deficit after two innings and helped the University of Dallas baseball team walk-off 5-4 against Texas Lutheran University on Saturday afternoon. The Crusaders knotted the game in the 7th and scored the winning run on a wild pitch (3rd of the inning) to start Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) play 1-0 for the first time since their inaugural season in 2012.
Despite weather at first pitch showing nice skies, as the game progressed cloud cover increased and rain came down throughout the latter stages of the contest. At the conclusion of the first game, rain increased and with more expected rain soon the teams agreed to postpone the next matchup to Sunday.
GAME INFORMATION
Team Scores: Texas Lutheran University (4), University of Dallas (5)
Team Records: Texas Lutheran (8-7, 0-1 SCAC), Dallas (7-9, 1-0 SCAC)
Pitching Records: W) A. Griesbauer (3-0), L) Wieder (0-1)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
- Seth Hanson (Apache Junction, Ariz.) notched a pair of hits in his first two at bats to increase his lead in hits on the team to 19. The left fielder scored three runs, including the game-winning tally which was his 10th overall on the campaign.
- Jordan Stickler (Grand Rapids, Mich.) clobbered a game-high and personal best three hits and scored twice. The leader in runs scored (15) on the squad has crossed home 10 times in the past four games, and done so at least twice in each of them.
- Mark Peterson (Cincinnati, Ohio) punched a pair of ribbies on his lone hit. Nathan Patton (McKinney, Texas) added a multiple hit game and has etched three of those within last four games with a hit.
- Ryan Hammonds (Cedar Hill, Texas) started and went seven innings for the 5th time in as many appearances. He struck out seven and did not walk anyone.
- Abraham Griesbauer (Troy, Mo.) picked up his team-leading win by retiring six in order and included striking out half of them.
- Dallas punched out 10 opposing hitters for the 5th time exactly (6th time to break double figures).
- The Crusaders have smacked double-digits for hits in the last three games. This was the 4th contest UD did not steal a base and 3rd to not attempt a steal.
- Both squads matched in the hit column with 11 apiece.
- Texas Lutheran had a quartet of players with two knocks. Matthew Lemon was one of the players with and double and RBI. Thomas Varner smacked a solo home run and also had two hits.
- Nathan Malinovsky threw seven innings and allowed four runs (3 earned) on 10 hits. He walked three and struck out nine. Jacob Wieder allowed the game-winning run in the ninth but added four strikeouts to give TLU 13 total.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bulldogs appeared to be in control early. Varner homered over the left field wall to start the game. The guests added two more runs as Lemon capped the inning with a double to right field before Hammonds struck out Eric Rabinowitz to end the threat.
Texas Lutheran added another run in the second inning. With two outs, the Crusaders appeared to have Rayce Gatlin picked off, but interference allowed the runner to move to second. He scored when the batter up, Riley Schaefer singled to left center.
In the third, the Bulldogs seemed ready to widen the gap as one-out singles by Lemon and Rabinowitz followed by Spencer Brandt being hit by a pitch got UD into a bases loaded jam. Hammonds got a shallow fly out to left and fanned Varner swinging to keep it 4-0.
From that juncture, Dallas limited the opponent to a pair of hits – both came in the 6th inning. The Crusaders had been mounting opportunities of their own through the first four innings having stranded a pair in each of them.
After Hammonds maneuvered out of trouble, the Navy and White cut the margin in half with two runs in the bottom of the third. Stickler and Hanson started with singles and Zach San Roman (Miami, Fl.) walked. Patton had an infield hit and Brice Cell (Keller, Texas) lifted a sacrifice fly.
Remaining the matchup down 4-2, Stickler and Hanson started the inning off again by reaching base. Stickler singled through the left side and Hanson poked a grounder that went off the third baseman's glove and beyond into the outfield. This allowed both runners move into scoring position where Peterson drove them in.
In the final turn to bat of regulation, Hanson started the inning by striking out but reached on a wild pitch. Peterson bunted him over and back-to-back wild pitches allowed the Crusaders to walk-off a second time this season.
UP NEXT
Dallas and Texas Lutheran conclude the series Sunday with a doubleheader at 12 p.m. After that, the Crusaders end a nine-game homestand with Millikin University on March 15.