Dallas Gives No. 2 Cal Lutheran University Major Fight in Saturday's Twin Bill
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The University of Dallas baseball team dropped a pair of games to No. 2 Cal Lutheran University on Saturday but battled the Kingsmen all the way until the end in both contests. UD held Cal Lutheran in check most of the first game, but a six-run sixth pushed the Kingsmen past Dallas in the front end of the doubleheader. In game two, UD took a 4-3 lead into the sixth. Cal Lutheran regained the lead, but the Crusaders tacked on another run in the seventh to make it a one run game once again. Tough relief pitching stiffened the Dallas bats late as the upset bid came up just short.
(Game 1 Information)
Team Scores: No. 2 Cal Lutheran University (10) | Dallas (3)
Team Records: No. 2 Cal Lutheran University (15-1) | Dallas (8-5)
Pitcher Records: W Tyler Hazlett (2-0) | L) Conrad Voss (3-2)
Cal Lutheran put a run on the board in the bottom of the first when Ryan Probst grounded out to second but was enough to allow the runner from third to touch the plate. Pitching and defense was the name of the game in innings 2-4. Both teams gained base runners throughout these innings, but timely pitching and good defense kept both teams off the board. Ross Lowe (Lewisville, Texas) began the Dallas fifth with a double to right center. Joseph Vondrachek (North St. Paul, Minn.) later reached first on an error by the shortstop to put UD in business. Nathan Patton (McKinney, Texas) reached first base on an error by the second baseman with two outs to bring in Lowe and tie the game at one. Zachary Taylor (Humble, Texas) followed that up with a double to right field to bring in Vondrachek to give Dallas a 2-1 lead after five innings.
The Crusaders lead would later be diminished in the Kinsgmen bottom half of the inning. Probst and Ryne Yamashiro had timely two-out hits to help Cal Lutheran regain the lead (4-2). Christian Wheatley (Austin, Texas) started the sixth inning out with a single and an advancement to second off another error. The Kingsmen got two outs after this but could not quiet the bat of Graeme Williams (Frisco, Texas). Williams drove in Wheatley with his single to right center and make it a one run score again (4-3).
Voss got the first out in the bottom of the sixth, but here came the bats of the No. 2 team in the nation. Cal Lutheran would go on to score six runs off of six hits in the sixth inning. UD got baserunners on in the seventh, but a double play and a fielder's choice would put an end to the first game of the doubleheader.
Taylor led Dallas with two hits on four trips to the plate including an RBI. Williams drove in a run and picked up an RBI with his lone hit in the contest. Taylor and Williams each had a double. Michael Jaquez (Irving, Texas) and Patton drew the only two walks for UD. Dallas stranded eight runners. Conrad Voss (Corona, Calif.) pitched 5.1 innings, giving up 11 hits and eight earned runs, but limited Cal Lutheran to just one walk. Voss also struck out two batters. Jamie Wallace (Crockett, Texas) finished out the game on the mound with 0.2 innings of work. Wallace gave up two runs off of three hits, with no walks, and two punchouts.
Probst paced Cal Lutheran with a 3-4 effort after he notched two doubles at the plate with a game-high five RBI and two runs scored. Three other batters had multiple hits on the afternoon. Yamashiro had a triple in the game and drove in two runs. The Kingsmen left five batters on base and committed four errors. Zach Hardman started the game on the mound, as he limited Dallas to just three hits, but did give up two runs (unearned) and a walk on the mound. Hardman struck out five batters after facing 22 men. Tyler Hazlett picked up his second win on the campaign pitching the final 2.1 innings. Hazlett gave up just one run off three hits and a walk.
Game 2 Information)
Team Scores: No. 2 Cal Lutheran University (7) | Dallas (5)
Team Records: No. 2 Cal Lutheran University (16-1) | Dallas (8-6)
Pitcher Records: W (Michael Effatian (1-0) | L) Tyler Montemayor (0-1)
Dallas went down in order to begin the second game of the doubleheader. Cal Lutheran then proceeded to load the bases up with one out in the bottom of the first. Daniel Parr drove in the first run of the contest with his sacrifice fly to right field. Zach Bullard then doubled down the right field line to bring in another run and make it 2-0. Tyler Montemayor (Boerne, Texas) got the next batter to fly out to hold the Kingsmen right there. Dallas put runners on second and third in the second but ran into an inning-ending out as Dallas was caught stealing home plate. Cal Lutheran had one hit, but the Dallas defense bounced back nicely to keep it a 2-0 deficit.
In the third Cade Corbett (Corona, Calif.) hit a leadoff double to left field. Mavrick Martinez (Friendswood, Texas) moved him to third with his groundout. Vondrachek then gave Dallas its first run of the game with his single through the left side. Vondrachek later stole second. Patton then tied up the contest after he singled to left center to bring around Vondrachek. Dallas was not done yet. Andrew Womack (Vienna, Va.) smacked a double to left center on the first pitch of the at bat and put the Crusaders out in front as Patton scored.
Montemayor took this 3-2 lead into the bottom of the third and got out of a jam. Parr singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Monetmayor held tough and drew up his groundball pitch to get out of the inning unscathed. Cal Lutheran tied up the game in the fourth with a sacrafice fly from Tanner Wright. Vondrachek got on base once again when he singled through the left side to open the fifth. Patton then doubled to right center to push across another run with his RBI and put UD up 4-3. Cal Lutheran gained two runs back to take back the lead thanks to two RBI from Parr and Chris Spohr. After a fairly quiet sixth, Vondrachek began the seventh with a walk and a stolen base. With one out Vondrachek stole third base and scored on an error by the catcher to get UD back within a run (5-6). UD threatened more in the inning but could not get any more runs across.
The Kingsmen grew their lead by a run similar to how Dallas just scored. Wright doubled to right center with two outs and later stole third and scored on an error by the pitcher. Cal Lutheran took this two-run lead into the eighth. Pitching held its own in the final inning and a half as no hitter reached base.
Patton led Dallas with three hits on four trips to the plate with a run scored, two RBI and a double. Taylor was 2-3 with a walk, while Vondrachek scored three runs, notched two hits, and one RBI. Corbett also was 2-3 at the plate with a double. Womack secured a double in the game and one RBI. Vondrachek swiped three bases in the game. Montemayor got the nod to start game two of the day and his first start off the season. He finished with 4.1 innings of work with five runs allowed off 11 hits. Williams relieved Montemayor for the final 3.2 innings. Williams matched his season-high with four strikeouts and limited the Kingsmen to just two hits and one run.
Parr had three hits on four opportunities at the plate along with two RBI and one run scored. Wright also drove in two runs off of two hits for Cal Lutheran. The Kingsmen stranded 10 runners on base but notched four doubles in the contest. Cal Lutheran also swiped five bases. Mason Snodgrass pitched 4.1 innings, allowing four runs, 10 hits, and a walk. Michael Effatian got the win with two innings of work, giving up just one hit and one run. Christian Slattery got the save with a perfect ninth inning on the mound.
UP NEXT
Dallas will continue its California trip by taking on Whittier College (CA) tomorrow. First pitch is slated for 12:00 p.m. (PST).