PREVIEW: Baseball vs. Austin College (3/30 - 3/31)
HOW TO FOLLOW
Multimedia Coverage: Livestats (Game 1, Game 2, Game 3) | Video (Only Friday's Games)
UD Twitter: @UDallasSports
UD Facebook: University of Dallas Athletics
UD Instagram: udallasathletics
GAME INFORMATION
Dates: March 30th (9 innings) (DH) | March 31st (9 innings)
Times: March 30th starts at 12 p.m. | March 31st starts at 12 p.m.
Opponent: Austin College
Records: Austin College (6-9, 0-3 SCAC) | Dallas (8-15, 1-5 SCAC)
Location: Irving, Texas, Crusader Field
FIRST PITCH
The University of Dallas baseball team returns home for a three-game series with conference opponent Austin College. Due to Easter Break, the teams scheduled play from the typical dates and times. The games will be played starting at 12 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The Crusaders are 8-15 overall and 1-5 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) action. They are coming off a 1-2 series result at Southwestern University. After splitting a doubleheader with a 9-8 setback and 11-3 triumph, UD was run-ruled in seven innings last Sunday.
UD is set to play 10-of-13 games at the friendly confines. However, the Crusaders have dropped their last five matchups at home. This includes three conference games with defending champions, Centenary College.
UDCRUSADERS HEADLINES
- Nathan Patton (McKinney, Texas) ranks 2nd in the league in batting average (.440) and runs-batted-in (28). His 37 total hits and seven doubles also are tops on the squad.
- Jordan Stickler (Grand Rapids, Mich.) continues to reach base safely, as he checks in at 54 straight games dating to last year. His on base percentage is .530 for first on the team. The leadoff hitter also leads the team in runs scored (25), walks (26), hit by pitch (8), and stolen bases (19). His base swipes remain first in the SCAC.
- Luke Boylson (Fairview, Texas) totaled five hits, triple, two home runs, six RBI, and a run scored in every game the last weekend series. This included a 4-for-5, triple, homer, and three RBI in UD's triumph.
- Seth Hanson (Apache Junction, Ariz.) clobbered another homer to increase his team-lead to four and tied for the third highest SCAC total. Hanson is the next highest walks total for Dallas with 13.
- Tyler Montemayor (Boerne, Texas) leads the pitching staff with 36 innings pitched. He is 2-1 overall and has made five starts to match Jamie Wallace (Crockett, Texas) for the team-most. Montemayor yields a 4.50 ERA to tie the team-low.
BY THE NUMBERS
- All-Time Series: UD leads 80-43-1
- In 2017, Dallas dropped the series in Sherman (L, 6-5 | L, 10-6 | W 14-3 (F/7)
- The Crusaders swept Austin College two years ago in Irving.
A LOOK AT THE 'ROOS
- Austin College played its lone conference series last weekend with now No. 1 Trinity University.
- AC has fallen in the past four games. Team is 2-3 on the road.
- Eight players have eclipsed double figures in total hits. The top five RBI leaders have tallied at least 10 and combined for 62 of the team's 88.
- Oscar Gonzalez paces the group with 24 base knocks. Brett Taff has tagged six doubles and clobbered one of the team's four homers. Taff (.434) and Gonzalez (.407) rank 3rd and 5th in batting average in the SCAC.
- Ryan Culp and Christian Thomas are the top innings leaders with 22.1 and 20.1, respectively. Chase Almaguer did throw a no-hitter versus Blackburn College two weeks ago.
UP NEXT
The next month begins with a three-game road series on at Texas Lutheran University. A doubleheader will start at 12 p.m. on April 7th. The next day will feature a 1 p.m. first pitch in the series finale.