GAME PREVIEW: Dallas vs. Hardin-Simmons (2/13) | Whitman College (2/14) (DH) | Carleton College (2/15)

(Photo graphic courtesy of Hannah Miller)

MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE

(Fri. 2/13 at Dr. Pepper Stadium provided by Hendrix College), Livestats

(Sat. 2/14 vs. Whitman College at University of Dallas),

Video (Livestream both games)

Livestats (GM 2 only)

FIRST PITCH

The University of Dallas baseball team (1-1) begins a four-game stretch over the next three days on Feb. 13-15. Dallas will begin the three-day span versus Hardin-Simmons University on Friday at Dr. Pepper Ballpark located in Frisco, Texas. First pitch is at 12 p.m.

Saturday, UD splits the trio of events with a doubleheader at Crusader Field in Irving, Texas against Whitman College. The twinbill is slated for 12 p.m.

Sunday, the Navy and White wrap up a busy weekend with a single, nine-inning affair back at Dr. Pepper Ballpark with Carleton College. That first pitch will be at 4 p.m.  

FROM OPENING WEEKEND

Dallas enjoyed two weeks off after splitting opening day weekend versus Sul Ross State University. Game one of the doubleheader went in favor of the Lady Crusaders 3-0, before SRSU claimed the latter contest by the same score.

In the victory, junior Denton Martin, baffled hitters with 10 strikeouts and allowed two hits in seven innings of shutout ball.

UD was aggressive on the basepaths taking advantage of a Lobos' error and also forcing a run on a double play ball that scored senior Trevor Keele (Edgewood, Texas) from second base.

Sophomore Avery Arnold (McKinney, Texas) added an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning to help the home squad double its edge. Dallas got on the board in the second frame and totaled nine hits. Sophomore Alex Stack (Keller, Texas) pounded three hits in the same amount of at bats and scored a run. Keele also had a multi-hit game.

In the setback, Dallas only notched four hits, with junior Rene Vargas Jr. (San Antonio, Texas) collecting half of them with a two-for-four day at the plate. Sophomore Ryan Hammonds (Cedar Hill, Texas) took the loss with five innings of work. He allowed seven hits and two runs (one earned) while walking one and fanning two.

Sul Ross State didn't get across the plate until the fifth inning, and plated a pair. The Lobos added one in the top of the ninth.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Still early in the campaign, a couple hitters have already gotten going with a few hits for the Crusaders. Stack's three-hit performance in the opener lifts him as the team-leader. Keele, the reigning Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) hitter of the year notched the team's lone extra base hit with a double. He's hitting .333 on the campaign.

Also marking the hit column for the Crusaders include: senior Luciano Villanueva (San Antonio, Texas), freshman Patch Healy (Plano, Texas), sophomore Zach San Roman (Miami, Fla.), junior Tug McRoberts (Beaumont, Texas), and senior Nolan Kipp (Folsom, Calif.).

Sophomore Cole Morden (Arlington, Texas) logged three innings of relief for Hammonds in the second game against SRSU. The righty allowed two hits and walked one.

WORTH NOTING

Dallas plays five of its first seven contests at the friendly confines to open the season.

Over the next six days, the Crusaders will play games on four of them, and total five overall.

A week from this Saturday, the Navy and White begin SCAC action on Feb. 21 at Trinity University, who are the defending champions.

SCOUTING HARDIN-SIMMONS

Friday's contest at Dr. Pepper Ballpark will mark the season-opener for the Cowboys. Last season HSU went 18-22 overall and 14-19 in the American Southwest Conference (ASC). As a team, the Cowboys scored 243 runs while hitting .282. They were 2-1 on neutral fields.

SCOUTING WHITMAN COLLEGE

The Missionaries open the 2015 campaign officially on Friday in Frisco, Texas against the University of Texas at Dallas before traveling to Irving, Texas for Saturday's twinbill with UD. Last season WC claimed a 20-18-1 mark, its best record since 1982 when the squad went 19-13. The team went 6-2 on neutral site venues that season.

SCOUTING CARLETON COLLEGE

In the most recent campaign, the Knights ended the year with a 20-14 mark. The new season begins also for Carleton on Friday at Dr. Pepper Ballpark versus Hendrix College. CC will also play twice on Saturday against Hardin-Simmons and UTD, respectively, before ending things with the Crusaders' contest Sunday. The Knights went 5-4 on neutral turf and hit .342 as a squad while opponents batted .304.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Dallas will be home on Wednesday, Feb. 18 versus Castleton State College. First pitch is 2:30 p.m.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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Facebook: University of Dallas Athletics