Hot Start Not Enough, as TLU Comes Back to Complete Sweep

SEGUIN, Texas - The University of Dallas baseball team lost their conference matchup with Texas Lutheran 17-7 on Saturday.  They drop to 3-12 in conference play and 9-20 overall on the year.

Game Information - Dallas 7, TLU 17 (8 Innings)

WP: Brendan Beard (3-0)

LP: Cortez Saenz (1-4)

SV: Blade Strzelczyk (6)

Things could not have started much better for the Crusaders, who came into this game trying to snap a 10-game losing streak.  They jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first after a bases clearing double by Pearce Coleman and a two-run home run by David Saldana, all with two outs in the inning.  The Bulldogs answered back with a two-run dinger of their own in the bottom half of the inning, but the Crusaders replied with solo homers by Andrew Gaspar, his first of the year, Grady Birmingham, and Saldana to take a 7-2 lead after four and a half innings.

However, a bumpy bottom of the fifth gave the Bulldogs all the momentum.  With three walks, a hit batter, and an error, TLU tied the game with five runs on just two hits in the inning.  The Crusaders managed just one baserunner on one hit the rest of the way, as TLU took the lead with three runs in the sixth, then walked the game off with seven runs on four hits to win the game via mercy.

Grady Birmingham went 3-4 to record his third game of the season with at least three hits, hitting his third home run of the season.  Saldana went 2-4 for his fifth multi-hit game of the year, hitting his second and third dingers of the year.

Up Next

The Crusaders have a non-conference tune up next, as they hit the road to face Hardin-Simmons University.  First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19.