Baseball takes Game 1 of doubleheader at LeTourneau University, falls in Game 2 to YellowJackets

LONGVIEW, Texas - The University of Dallas baseball team (14-5) split their doubleheader with LeTourneau University on Saturday afternoon. The Crusaders took Game 1, 5-0, but the YellowJackets claimed Game 2, 13-5.

Game 1: Dallas 5, LeTourneau University 0 Boxscore

Senior pitcher Philip Carkhuff (Marietta, Ga,/The Lovett School) went the distance for Dallas in Game 1, striking out 10 Yellow Jackets and only allowing two hits in a seven inning shutout bid. He also allowed three walks and hit a batter.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the 5th inning, when the Crusaders were able to bust out to the tune of four runs. Junior catcher Varea Costello (Anchorage, Alaska/South Anchorage H.S.) led off the inning with a double to left center.

Mark Carlson's (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Home School) single through the right side of the infield then scored Costello, putting Dallas up, 1-0. After advancing to second base on a passed ball, Carlson was knocked in on a double by Devin Arnold (McKinney, Texas/McKinney H.S.).

The final two Crusader runs in the inning were scored by Arnold after an error by the shortstop, and by Brian Shelburne (Portsmouth, R.I./Portsmouth H.S.) thanks to a double by Andrew Bossert (Friendswood, Texas/Friendswood H.S.). Bossert, along with Arnold, posted a team-high two hits on the game.

Shelburne accounted for Dallas' final run, in the 7th inning, on a fielder's choice by Trevor Allred (Anchorage, Alaska/South Anchorage H.S.).

Game 2: Dallas 5, LeTourneau University 13 Boxscore  

The tide turned for Dallas in the second game, as the Crusaders gave up nine runs in a span of three innings, stretching from the 4th-thru-the-6th inning.

Sophomore pitcher Chris Schierhorn (Anchorage, Alaska/South Anchorage H.S.) got the starting nod for Dallas, and went 3 1/3 innings. In his appearance, Schierhorn allowed four earned runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out one batter. 

The Crusaders began the scoring, in the 1st inning, when Shelburne's double scored Arnold, whom led off the inning with a base on balls. LeTourneau, in the bottom of the inning, fired back with a run of their own. The teams again matched runs, this time in the 3rd inning.

Heading into the bottom of the 4th inning, the score was 2-2. The YellowJackets then proceeded to tack on two more runs in the inning. Dallas scored a run in each the 5th and 6th inning, but to no aveil, as a relief staff of Andrew Laux (Keller, Texas/Keller H.S.), Michael Byers (Manassas, Va./Seton Home School), Michael Schweiss (Parker, Colo./Chaparral H.S.) and Dylan Myers (Rosebud, Texas/Rosebud-Lott H.S.) struggled containing the red-hot YellowJacket bats. Under their watch, much to their chagrin, the four relievers saw nine runs cross the plate.

Offensively, Shelburne totaled four hits in five at-bats, scoring a run and netting two RBIs. Others having a noteworthy game from the plate for Dallas were Rettinger and Carlson, whom each contributed two hits.  

Next opponent:

Up next for the Crusaders will be a trip to Rangers' Ballpark in Arlington, where Dallas will square off with Arlington Baptist College on Thursday, March 17, with first pitch at 7:00 p.m.