Crusaders Cruise to 10-Run Victory on Sunday over St. Thomas
HOUSTON - The University of Dallas baseball team kept its bats going on Sunday and clinched its first Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) series win with a 15-5 run-rule in seven innings. UD did its scoring early with 14 runs coming within the first three innings, headlined by seven runs in the second inning. Zachary Taylor (Humble, Texas) featured a three-run homer in that big inning, and the Crusaders logged 13 hits while taking advantage of six errors by the Celts. Nathan Patton (McKinney, Texas) and Ross Lowe (Lewisville, Texas) matched 3-for-5 performances and Patton joined Michael Anderson (Denver, Colo.) with the team-high three runs scored. Ethan Mann (Southlake, Texas) faced two batters over the minimum to complete the last 3.1 innings. He combined for 8.1 shutout innings this week and picked up another win to improve to 3-2 overall and helped Dallas go 4-1 overall. The Crusaders combined for 40 runs scored in this weekend series, and have now won two games via the seven-inning run-rule in conference.
(Game 3 Information F/7)
Team Scores: Dallas (15) St. Thomas (5)
Dallas (10-18, 6-11) St. Thomas (15-15, 4-14)
W) Ethan Mann (3-2), L) Zachary Brewer (0-3)
Dallas came out hot again scoring four runs right off the bat. In the first inning Casey White (Amorita, Okla.) hit an RBI single to center for the game's first run. Anderson drove in White on a squeeze play, Lowe then hit an RBI single to center to score Patton and Anderson scored on an error for a 4-0 lead.
St. Thomas got one back in the bottom of the inning, as Bearden scored on a wild pitch.
In the second inning, UD got seven more runs all with two outs in the inning. With two men on base, Taylor blasted a three run home run for the first three runs of the inning. Three batters later, Grady Birmingham (Newport Beach, Calif.) reached on an error by third baseman, Brown, scoring Anderson and Lowe. Maldonado then doubled in Birmingham, and Vondrachek singled in Maldonado for an 11-1 lead.
In the third inning, Dallas picked up three more as Patton scored on a wild pitch, and then Bimingham doubled in Anderson and Taylor to stretch the score to 14-1.
In the bottom of the inning, Sebok and Edwards hit back-to-back RBI singles with two outs to make the score 14-3.
The Celts got two more in the next inning as Hunter Pachal doubled to right center to score Brown and Bearden to make the game 14-5.
Dallas got one final run in the seventh inning, as Lowe singled to left to score Patton and put the Crusaders up 15-5.
The Crusaders would win the game by run rule in the bottom of the inning, as relief pitcher Ethan Mann (Southlake, Texas) got three out to win the game.
The seven inning win for Dallas is the first time UD has won a game by run rule since the Crusaders defeated Austin College 11-1 in eight innings on March 31, 2018.
Taylor's home run is the sixth of his UD career and his first home run since hitting one against Blackburn College on March 14, 2019.
Patton went 8-12, all singles, in the series with three RBIs, seven runs score and three walks.
Vondrachek's three stolen bases in the series now brings his total to 25, keeping him in fourth place in the NCAA.
With the wins, UD goes to 10-18 (6-11), and with the losses St. Thomas drops to 15-15 (4-14) this year. Dallas will wrap up the season with one final road series against Austin College on May 1 and 2. Game times will be at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and 12:00 p.m. on Sunday. All games are Central Standard Time.