Dallas Baseball Splits Doubleheader Against Howard Payne University

In the opening game of today's doubleheader against Howard Payne University, the UD baseball rode the back of junior starting pitcher Austin Cooper (Afton, OK/Afton H.S.) and was saved by the timely bat of sophomore infielder/outfielder Brian Shelburne (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth H.S.) who drove in freshman outfielder Nico Caluda (New Orleans, LA/Jesuit H.S.) in the bottom of the seventh inning for the walk off 4-3 win.

Cooper pitched a complete seven inning game and struck out 6 while scattering 4 hits. He gave up single runs in the first, second, and third innings before setting down to earn his and the team's first victory. After giving up these three run in three frames, Cooper faced the minimum three batters in the last four frames.

UD carried over momentum from this walk-off win, and began their second game with an early lead. After Delano Ponce (Albuquerque, NM/Albuquerque Academy) singled, UD played small ball, with Martin Lopez (Albuquerque, NM/St. Pius X H.S.) sacrificing Ponce over to second. Sean McSheffery drove in Ponce with a single, giving UD a 1-0 lead.

The wheels came off the bus for UD in the sixth inning with Howard Payne University putting up seven runs on the board. Errors proved to be very costly for UD as only two of the seven runs that Howard Payne scored were earned.

Sophomore right hander Michael Byers (Front Royal, VA/Seton Home School) pitched a solid five innings before being pulled after giving up a double to the leadoff batter in the sixth inning. Byers scattered three hits in five plus innings, while striking out three and inducing seven ground outs before being replaced by sophomore Michael Schweiss (Parker, CO/Chaparral H.S.). Byers also threw a rare four-pitch inning in the fourth inning of the game.

UD hosts Texas Lutheran University next weekend for a three game series. Saturday's doubleheader begins at 12:00pm, while Sunday's game begins at 2:00pm.