Crusaders begin 2018 season with three-game set at Sul Ross State.

Posted: Feb 01, 2018

SERIES PREVIEW: Baseball at Sul Ross State University (Feb. 3-4)

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FIRST PITCH

It is opening day this Saturday, February 3rd for the University of Dallas baseball team playing at Sul Ross State University. The season opener features a doubleheader, with the first contests scheduled for seven innings beginning at 1 p.m. The second game is marked for nine innings. The series finale will be a single, nine-inning contest on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Dallas is coming off a 14-26 record in 2017, and this will be the team's fourth season under head coach Joe Myers' leadership. The team has improved by two wins each of the last two years since Myers was appointed the head coaching role.

UD QUICK HITS

- All three hitters that batted above .300 last season (minimum 100 at bats), return to the lineup this season. All members of the group were named to all-conference teams in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC).

- Leading the group is Jordan Stickler (Grand Rapids, Mich.) with a .344-clip.

- Another plus .300 hitter, Seth Hanson (Apache Junction, Ariz.) returns and tied Stickler with 43 base knocks.

- Nathan Patton (McKinney, Texas) rounds out the trio with a .310 average and ranked second in several categories on the team including: hits (39), doubles (9), and RBI (22).

- Abraham Griesbauer (Troy, Mo.) was the lone pitcher to earn a postseason accolade, and is one-of-two seniors on the team this year. Kyle Gamez (Burleson, Texas) is the other senior, as he and Griesbauer are the only pitchers on the staff with more than two years of collegiate experience.

- Conrad Voss (Corona, Calif.) logged the most innings on the staff in 2017 and projects to be the opening day hurler. He made nine starts in 11 appearances on the mound.

- The Crusaders boast seven left-handed pitchers this season, including five returners.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Preseason Video

BY THE NUMBERS

- 2017 UD Season Stats

- 2017 Sul Ross State Season Stats

- The Crusaders hold a 22-16 record in the overall series.

- Since 2014, these programs have opened against each other, with Sul Ross holding a 6-5 edge within that span. This includes 3-3 in Alpine.

- Dallas went 1-2 at Crusader Field in 2017. After a dazzling seven-inning shutout in the opener, 1-0, the Crusaders were topped 8-4 and 4-0 the rest of the three-game set.

SCOUTING THE LOBOS

- Sul Ross State University also went 14-26 last season. This included a 7-17 mark in the American Southwest Conference (ASC).

- Six starting position players return, including first baseman Ryan Almager. He led the team with a .365 batting average, six home runs, 57 hits, 11 doubles, and 38 runs batted in.

- Outfielders Wesley Moss (.318), Jonathon Bigley (.315), Mike Munden (.285), and Ryan DeLeon (.297) also return.

- Chris York batted .301 and tied the team leaderboard for homers with six. He also drove in 28.

- 14 pitchers are listed on the numerical roster for the Lobos. Cody Remore leads the arms from last season with 14 appearances and 13 starts. He logged 70.2 innings, while striking out 48. He posted a 4.20 ERA and went 5-5.

UP NEXT

Dallas plays its home-opening series next week with four games from Feb. 9^th-11^th against Mississippi University School for Women. The Crusaders play at 3 p.m. on the 9^th, a twinbill on the 10^th starting at noon, and then an 11 a.m. start on the 11^th.