It's a "UD Blue-out" on Saturday, Apr. 16, as Baseball celebrates 'Senior Day' versus the Trinity University Tigers
In conjunction with Dallas Athletics, the Student Government Association has officially deemed the 2:00 p.m. 'Senior Day' baseball game versus the visiting Trinity University Tigers on Saturday, April 16, a "UD Blue-out."
We urge those Crusader fans planning to attend to wear their UD Blue in support of the University of Dallas baseball team, which is currently 23-11 on the season and eyeing a postseason berth.
With it being 'Senior Day' for Dallas Baseball, there will be a pre-game ceremony honoring the team's senior class, whom helped lead Dallas to an 87-68-1 record in their tenure.
Let's me your 2011 Dallas Baseball senior class:
Luke Kersting, the son of Jennie and Jack Kersting, is an outfielder from Napa, California. The Kersting family has had quite a lineage with the Dallas Baseball program, as two of Luke's brothers – Augie & Thomas – previously donned the UD Blue.
In his tenure with the team, Luke has played in 20 games, and on the 2011 season is hitting .750, in limited playing time.
Luke, like many of the other seniors will tell you, particularly enjoyed playing under the lights of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington – home of the Texas Rangers -- where the Crusaders defeated Arlington Baptist College earlier this season, 7-2.
Luke will graduate from the University of Dallas -- Cum Laude -- with a bachelor of science in Physics, and has post-graduate plans, as he's been accepted into the Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics Ph.D program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Delano Ponce, the son of Yvette and Joe Ponce, is a soon-to-be two-time letter winning catcher as a transfer student-athlete to UD, originally haling from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
To date, Delano has started 39 of the 42 games he's played in, and boasts a .957 fielding percentage as the Dallas battery. Hitting-wise for his career, Delano has registered a homerun and four doubles, and on the base paths has legged out three stolen bases.
In regard to the UD Baseball program as a whole, Delano will most remember a tightly-knit group, where players and coaches share in a familial-like environment. He'd also like to thank his parents for their love and support, as they've been integral in helping him chase down his dream of playing collegiate baseball over the last five years.
A Politics major, Delano will graduate in fall 2011, and plans to apply for law school.
Martin Lopez, the son of Elizabeth and Martin Lopez III, is also from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Martin was named a letter-winner in 2010. As a utility infielder for the Crusaders, Marty had a very productive junior campaign and his best season in a Dallas uniform, starting 29-of-30 games, and in 112 at-bats hitting .259, while recording 29 hits, 19 runs, four doubles, a triple, 14 RBIs and nine stolen bases. Also in 2010, Martin on the defensive side of the ball, had 187 putouts and .947 fielding percentage.
Career wise, Martin has started 48 games, while appearing in 24 other contests. He's appreciative of the numerous friendships he's built with his fellow teammates, and though his pitching experience was limited, feels very fond of grabbing a victory on the mound for the Crusaders in his first ever series with the team.
Martin is set to graduate with a degree in Psychology. In addition to continuing to educate young persons, he would like to attend graduate school, where he'd study Sports Psychology or Counseling.
David Rettinger, the son of Judy and Dave Rettinger, is a soon-to-be three time letter winner from San Antonio, Texas.
Transitioning to shortstop in 2011, after previously playing third base, David in his senior season is top-five in 14 Crusader statistical categories, with most being of the offensive variety. Furthermore, his team-leading seven sacrifice-flies on the season presently place him fourth in Division III Baseball in the category. He also is tied for the team lead in homeruns, with two.
A career .304 hitter, David's started 120-of-132 games in his years at Dallas, and in 401 at-bats has totaled 122 hits and counting, as well as producing 83 runs, 25 doubles, one triple, seven homeruns, 93 RBIs, 45 walks and nine stolen bases.
David is a business major planning to work in sales within the Dallas-Fort Worth "Metroplex" upon graduation.
Philip Carkhuff, the son of Lois and Bill Carkhuff, is a soon-to-be four time letter winner from Marietta, Georgia.
Philip, a right-handed pitcher, is the most heralded of the senior class, holding the school record in saves (four), while boasting a career 24-15 record overall, wherein he recorded three shutouts and a 4.18 ERA over 284.1 innings pitched.
Some of his most notable achievements include:
- 2010 Association of Division III Independents 2nd Team
- 2010 United States Collegiate Athletic Association Academic All-America
- 2009 AD3I 'Pitcher of the Year' and 1st Team selection
On the national level, Philip ranked 10th in the country in 2010 with 11.78 strikeouts per nine-innings, while in 2009 he checked in as 20th in the nation, posting eight victories.
In his senior campaign, Philip sits at 15th in the nation with 61 strikeouts and 20th with six wins. Currently, with 63.2 innings pitched – the most on the team -- he's 6-and-3 in 12 starts on the year, with a 2.54 ERA – the lowest of his career.
As for Philip's most memorable UD Baseball moment, he says it has been any time he's stood on the mound after throwing the last pitch of a complete game and the preparation necessary to accomplish these feats.
A Classics major at UD, Philip has often been named to the dean's list and honor roll. This summer he will marry fiancé Jesse Allen – his future will also curtail law school, as he'll attended the Ave Maria School of Law in Naples, Florida, for the next three years. After law school, he'd like to be an attorney in service of the Catholic Church.
A special note to the seniors:
On behalf of all of Coach Kilgo, Coach Myers, Athletics Director Dick Strockbine, your teammates and the all UD Baseball Alumni, Coach Holmes would like to thank you for your hard work, determination and dedication to the University of Dallas Baseball team in helping shape the program into what it is and will grow to be.
Reminder:
For those unable to attend the 'Senior Day' game and/or Sunday's 2:00 p.m. game versus the Tigers, both games will be streamed online via collegetvticket.com.