UD Baseball Overcomes Opening Loss for Win Number Ten
In doubleheader action that started off a three game series versus the Austin College Kangaroos, UD fell behind in a big way in game one by giving up 10 early runs in the 14-6 loss. The team showed plenty of fight and came through in the clutch several times winning game two comeback fashion 9-8 to tied the series at 1 all.
In the opener of the doubleheader in Sherman, TX, the Kangaroos hot bats coupled with UD errors helped Austin College to a 10-1 lead at the end of the first inning after UD got on the board in their initial plate appearance. Freshman outfielder Nico Caluda (New Orleans, LA/Jesuit H.S.) drove in sophomore outfielder/infielder Brian Shelburne (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth H.S.) with a groundball to second base after Shelburne led off the game with a triple to centerfield, his second of the year. That remained the lone run for Dallas until they scored 2 runs in the top of the fourth to make the game 10-3. Junior infielder David Rettinger (San Antonio, TX/Central Catholic H.S.) led off the inning with a double to right field, and freshman rightfielder Adam Farris (Flower Mound, TX/Liberty Christian H.S.) advanced Rettinger to third. Freshman catcher Delano Ponce (Albuquerque, NM/St. Pius X H.S.) then reached on an error and Rettinger came home to minimize the lead to 8 runs. Sophomore infielder Michael Morrison (Dallas, TX/Lake Hill Prep) then came through with an RBI single to plate Farris and UD was trying to creep back into it. Unfortunately a double play ended the inning and the Austin College hitters wouldn't go away.
The Kangaroos scored another run in the bottom of the inning, and they added 3 more in the sixth to try in put the game out of reach at 14-3. Dallas couldn't pull off the final at bat heroics but the team put together another strong inning in the top of the seventh with 3 runs, however the damage had been done. In their final plate appearance senior infielder Sean McSheffery (Woodridge, IL/Downers Grove North) singled up the middle with 2 outs before Rettinger's second double of the game made it a 10 run game, and Farris followed with a 2 run homer to right field before the inning and game ended 14-6.
Dallas started off the second game in similar fashion by spotting Austin 4 runs before putting up a 4 spot of their own in the top of the third. Freshman infielder Blake Elkins (Beaumont, TX/Monsignor Kelly Catholic H.S.) reached on an error and advanced to second to lead off the inning and sophomore outfielder Devin Arnold's (McKinney, TX/McKinney H.S.) double to left center plated Elkins and the rally was officially on. Shelburne followed with a single, and Caluda's groundout drove in Arnold. Rettinger was the hit by a pitch, a mistake that proved costly, and Farris made the Kangaroo pitcher pay as he cleared the bases with his 2 run triple. Shelburne and Rettinger scored and the game was deadlocked at 4 apiece. UD then grabbed the lead as Caluda walked with one out, McSheffery singled to right, and Rettinger was again hit by a pitch, this time to load the bases. After a pitching change Farris singled to right field and UD scored their first run off the inning as Caluda trotted home. Ponce then singled to left to drive in Farris and Rettinger for 2 RBI, and a throwing error by the Kangaroo first baseman was all the speedy Farris needed to score and Dallas had the big 8-4 lead.
Like the first game the Austin hitter wouldn't go away and they slowly put together a comeback of their own with 2 runs in the bottom half of the inning. After a scoreless frame for both teams, the Kangaroos evened the score again to take the game to extra innings. Thankfully the UD offense had some more late game heroics up their sleeve as Shelburne led off the inning with a single to left field. Caluda advanced Shelburne on a sacrifice bunt, and a fly out gave Austin College 2 outs that put all the pressure on Rettinger as he came to the plate. He came through in the clutch with his third double of the afternoon to drive in Shelburne, and gave Dallas the 9-8 lead in the process. The new Austin pitcher forced a pop out for the third out of the inning, and it was up to the Dallas defense to hold on. Pitching in relief since the bottom of the fourth inning, junior righty Phil Carkhuff (Marietta, GA/The Lovett School) looked to finish off the Kangaroos and give Dallas the much needed win. After surrendering a leadoff walk and watching him get sacrificed over to second, things looked dicey for UD. Carkhuff remained calm and came through in the clutch as Rettinger had in the top of the inning, and got the next two Austin College hitters to strike out looking as Dallas came back twice to pick up win number ten. Carkhuff pitched great in three and a third innings of relief in picking up his second win of the season. He scattered 2 hits, walked 2, and gave up 2 unearned runs while striking out 4.
The Dallas baseball team sits at 10-21 with one more game to wrap up the series against the Kangaroos from Austin College. This time UD has home field on its side in the nine inning game in Irving tomorrow afternoon. The 1:00pm game will be followed by a barbeque honoring the University of Dallas' Scholar Athlete.