Smith no-hits Crusaders in Series Opener; Pirates Secure Series Win after 7-Run 2nd Inning Too Large to Overcome
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas baseball team opened a three-game set with Southwestern University. Arguably the top pitcher in the conference, Austin Smith showed why as he tossed a no-hitter through a 7-inning game decided by a run-rule that also featured eight extra-base hits by the Pirates and 12 runs over the last three innings for the guests.
Game two started with the Southwestern taking control with a seven-run second inning. The Crusaders got on the board in the second inning and used a three-run fifth to cut the gap in half to 8-4. However, the home team trailed 12-6 heading to the top of the 8th of a suspended game due to darkness. Things resumed on Sunday with a 12:03 p.m. first pitch. The last two frames took about 45 minutes to complete, as the Crusaders threatened both innings but only notched a pair of runs in the ninth.
(Game 1 Information)
Team Scores: Southwestern (15), Dallas (0)
Team Records: Southwestern (20-14, 7-6 SCAC), Dallas (16-18, 3-10 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Austin Smith (7-0), L) Tyler Montemayor (0-4)
The Pirates struck for a pair of runs in the first inning. Cole Kelly doubled to deep center field over Jordan Stickler's (Grand Rapids, Mich.) to score Hayden Craig for the first run. A hit by pitch with the bases loaded plated the second run.
Stickler led the UD hitting off by reaching on a hit by pitch as well. With one out, the center fielder advanced to second as an errant pickoff throw attempt got away. However, the Crusaders could not advance him further and the offense was held in check for the next 13 batters before Joseph Griesbauer (Troy, Mo.) walked with two gone in the fifth.
Austin Smith was able to cruise in this one, as he only had a couple blemishes in the start with three walks and the hit by pitch. Smith managed to win his seventh game on the mound and struck out 10, as he baffled hitters with his movement and speed on pitches.
Southwestern generated some more offense with another run in the third inning, as Bryce Debbs doubled down the left field line. The Pirates then erupted for six runs in the fifth, four in the sixth, and two in the seventh. Seven of the team's extra-base hits led to run scoring results. This included home runs by Bryon Dowdell II and Kelly. Southwestern finished with eight doubles, a triple, and the pair of long balls.
Dowdell II led the Pirates offense with three hits. He drove in two and scored two, as the top four hitters combined for 10 RBI. Kelly had three of them for a team-high. Ethan Hallmark was the leader in runs scored with three.
The Crusaders used six pitchers, with Tyler Montemayor (Boerne, Texas) getting the start. He allowed three runs on five hits in 2.1 innings. He notched three of UD's four strikeouts on the pitching staff. Ryan Flores (San Diego, Calif.), Nick Goehring (Phoenix, Ariz.), Kyle Neel (Houston, Texas), David Trevino (Orange Grove, Texas), and Austin Offutt (Frisco, Texas) all saw time in relief on the mound.
UD Baseball Hall of Famer (Inducted Class of 2001), Gerald Turner, was in attendance as a scout for the Toronto Blue Jays for the first game to record notes on Smith. Turner played baseball at Dallas from 1962 from 1965. He tallied 112 hits, 22 doubles, five triples, 10 home runs, and 72 runs-batted-in. The 1964 NAIA All-American batted a career .326 average and totaled 70 runs scored combined over four seasons.
(Game 2 Information)
Team Scores: Southwestern (12), Dallas (8)
Team Records: Southwestern (21-14, 8-6 SCAC), Dallas (16-19, 3-11 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Luke Richards (1-0), L) Conrad Voss (7-4)
Both teams had scoreless first innings, but UD's ace of the rotation Conrad Voss (Corona, Calif.) endured a tough second inning that included seven runs on five hits. After a strikeout to start the frame, there was a single and walk to set up an RBI-single to right center by Seth Sparks. After a walk loaded the bases, Craig reached on an error by Voss that kept the bases jammed and one out. Daniel Montgomery Jr. and Kelly singled for consecutive runs-batted-in to double the advantage, 4-0. Dowdell II doubled to left center for the big blow that made it 6-0. A groundout finalized the crooked number frame for Southwestern, with the last two runs counted as unearned.
Dallas responded with a run in the home half of the inning, as Stickler reached on a fielder's choice and allowed Griesbauer to come in, who had logged the lone hit that inning. Zachary Taylor (Humble, Texas) and Seth Hanson (Apache Junction, Ariz.) walked to load the bases for the top of the order, but UD only got the one run in.
Southwestern grabbed another run in the fourth as Dowdell II doubled to left field to score Craig.
UD's best inning was three runs in the fifth inning to slice the deficit in half. With one gone, Josh Abalos (Lewisville, Texas) was hit by a pitch, Nathan Patton (McKinney, Texas) walked, and then two batters later Jessup Scott (Lewiston, Idaho) walked to put runners on all bases. Nicolas Hovde (Waco, Texas) sailed a high pop up that appeared to be settling in foul territory and in play. The wind pushed it back into fair ground, as it landed in front of home play and with runners on the move with two outs, Abalos touched home before the SU catcher recovered. Two more walks, including one to Taylor for an RBI, helped plate the last run that inning.
The Pirates answered with all those runs back in the next half inning. A dropped fly ball created a few extra opportunities for a pair of those to be unearned.
Mark Peterson (Cincinnati, Ohio) singled a run in through the left side in the bottom of the sixth, and Hovde was hit by a pitch with the all the bags occupied to make it 11-6.
Kelly homered into the top of the UD batting cages in right center field in the seventh, and after a team put up a zero in the bottom of the seventh, the contest was suspended due to darkness.
When things resumed, Dallas' Taylor blanked the Pirates working around just a single in the eighth. Dallas had two runners on first and second in its eighth inning to hit, but a strikeout and pop-up kept things at 12-6.
UD's top of the lineup sparked a last chance rally with Stickler and Abalos singling, and Patton getting on via a walk. Peterson walked in a run and Scott singled to center field, before the last two outs were made to give Southwestern the win and weekend series.
Dallas stranded a season-high 17 baserunners. Its eight runs and 12 hits were season-bests at home against Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) foes this spring. The 12 base knocks were the second highest total at the friendly confines, just two behind the Dallas Christian College game on March 2. UD did outhit the Pirates by two, and had one more walk, 11-10.
Stickler led the Crusaders offensively with a 3-for-5, RBI, and two runs scored. Abalos scored a game-high three runs, while Peterson, Scott, and Griesbauer had multi-hit games. Griesbauer punched the lone extra-base hit for UD with a double.
Dowdell II knocked a pair of doubles for Southwestern to lead to a 3-hit game and just as many RBI. Montgomery Jr. and Kelly each added two-hit games. The starting nine for the Pirates all scored at least once, eight had a run driven in, and seven tallied a hit.
Voss was saddled with the loss in his shortest outing of the campaign, going 3.1 innings. He allowed eight runs (six earned) on six hits, while walking five and striking out four. Jamie Wallace (Crockett, Texas) gave up just one earned on a hit in 2.2 innings, but walked three. Taylor tossed the last three innings and was just touched on the Kelly homer. Wallace and Taylor threw two strikeouts apiece.
Benjamin Ludwig got the start for the Pirates, lasting 4.2 innings and allowing four runs on five hits and five walks. Trey Schwarz got out of the fifth but had allowed two runs on a hit and three walks. Luke Richards would get credited the win for being the most effective, as he went 3.1 innings and grabbed four strikeouts. His two runs allowed came in the ninth. Koba Kobayashi allowed the inherited baserunners to come in, before he recorded the last two outs of a game that went just over four hours combined on the two days.
UP NEXT
The original 1 p.m. scheduled game began around 40 minutes after the conclusion of the suspended game two of the series. Dallas recognized its eight seniors before the series finale.