Crusaders Split Double Header, Take Series from NWU

March 9, 2024

GRAPEVINE, Texas - The University of Dallas baseball team split their double header against Nebraska Wesleyan University on Saturday, ending the day 12-2 on the season.  With inclement weather making Crusader Field unplayable, the double header was played at Grapevine Faith Christian School.

Game 1

Dallas 11, Nebraska Wesleyan 1 (7 Innings)

WP: Dylan Krause (3-0)

LP: Tyson Romero (1-2)

Dallas started the day with a dominant performance from start to finish on both sides of the ball.

Dylan Krause was exceptional all game, the only blemish on his performance a solo homer over the short porch in left field.  He held the Prairie Wolves to just two hits, striking out 10 batters in seven innings of work.

At the plate the Crusaders generated study production all throughout the game.  The heart of the order shined brighter than most; the three, four, and five hitters of Jake Amoroso, Caleb Hohman, and Simon Turner combined to go 7-for-11 with three home runs and all 11 of the Crusaders RBI in the game.

Turner homered twice, once in the third and once in the fifth, to drive in five runs with the first two homers of his UD career.

Hohman hit a two run shot in the sixth, then Amoroso walked off the game with a bases-loaded double, clearing the bases to make it 11-1 and end the game via mercy-rule.

Game 2

Dallas 3, Randall 6

WP: Robbie Ross (1-0)

LP: Collin Johnson (1-1)

While the Crusaders capitalized on just about every opportunity they had in the first game, they couldn't replicate that success in game two.

They struggled to reach base for much of the game, recording just two hits through the first five innings.  They got a runner to third base with one out twice in the first five innings, and both times they ran themselves out of the inning.

Paxton Huff was called out for tagging up early from third on a would-be sac fly in the third inning, and Andrew Gaspar was gunned down at home trying to score on a ground ball to the third baseman in the fifth.

With the game tied 1-1 in the sixth, Caleb Hohman chopped an infield single to the third baseman, driving in David Laranjo who led the inning off with a double and reached third on a sac bunt.  

Though a 2-1 lead was far from comfortable, the Crusaders felt like they were in the driver's seat with Cortez Saenz cruising through two innings of relief on the mound and Collin Johnson ready to go in the pen.  

But the wheels began to slowly fall off.  Saenz walked three of his first five batters to load the bases with two outs, which prompted head coach Eric Grafton to bring in Johnson to put out the fire.  Johnson was a strike away from doing just that, but a seeing-eye single up the middle brought in the tying run, and though a diving play by Reed Morales kept the ball from going into the outfield, Brayden Harvey came all the way around from second on the play to put the Prairie Wolves up 3-2.

Dallas pulled the run back in the bottom of the eighth, as Walker Alsobrooks scored from third on a two-out balk.  It was the luck they needed, though Simon Turner and Andrew Gaspar hit back-to-back singles immediately after and would have driven home the run either way.  The bases were loaded with two outs for Paxton Huff, but he flied out to right to end the inning.

A scoreless ninth sent the game to extras.  Johnson took the mound for his second full inning of work and got two of his first batters out, though NWU did get a runner to third.  Brady Bell drove in the go-ahead run with a single up the middle, ending the day for Johnson as he made way for Landon Phillips.

An error, a single, and two walks brought home two more runs as the game completely slipped from Dallas' grip.  Dominic Gill was brought in to get the final out of the inning.  The Crusaders were set down in order, and their 11-game winning streak was brought to an end.

The 11-game winning streak started with a 5-0 win against Howard Payne on Saturday, Feb. 17.  It is the longest winning streak for the program since the 2004 Crusaders won 10 straight.

Up Next

The Crusaders will play one last tune-up before the conference campaign begins next weekend.  They will host Hardin-Simmons University for a single game on Tuesday, March 12 at 2:00 pm.