Baseball unable to upset No.16 Trinity in Opener of Series; Drop pair in Twinbill
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of Dallas baseball team (4-5) fell in the first two of a three-game series at No. 16 Trinity University (6-2) on Saturday afternoon. Dallas rallied to take a ninth inning lead in its final at-bat, 5-4, but the top 25 ranked opponent would match a pair in the bottom half to walk-off in 6-5 fashion. The Crusaders would fall 7-3 in the nightcap.
In game one, the Crusaders nipped an early 1-0 edge in the top of the second on an RBI single from senior Nolan Kipp (Folsom, Calif.). Trinity would regain the lead in the bottom with hit from Austin Singer.
A two-run third would double the advantage, but the road squad kept pecking away with a run in the fourth and seventh inning.
Momentum shifted in favor of the Crusaders, with junior Tug McRoberts (Beaumont, Texas) tying the affair with an RBI knock to bring around Kipp. Two batters later senior Trevor Keele (Edgewood, Texas) lifted UD on top with a bases loaded ground out to the pitcher that plated fellow classmate Luciano Villanueva (San Antonio, Texas).
It would not hold up for the Navy and White, with the Tigers' Connor Moore ripping his team-high, third hit of the game for a double. A throwing error on the same play maneuvered Moore around the diamond and resulted in the game-winner.
A trio of players for Dallas collected multi-hit efforts with two including: sophomore Alex Stack (Keller, Texas), Kipp, and Villanueva.
Senior Martin Cronin (The Woodlands, Texas) received a no decision after six innings of giving up four runs (one earned) on seven hits in the start. The righty walked two and struck out three.
Sophomore Blake Palmer (Coppell, Texas) tossed two scoreless frames before running into trouble in the ninth. Keele got saddled with the loss after being unable to escape the jam.
Zack Speer tossed eight innings for TU with four runs (three earned) surrendered off seven hits. He walked two and fanned nine batters.
In the latter contest, the Tigers wasted no time picking up where they left off with a three-run first. Sophomore Ryan Hammonds (Cedar Hill, Texas) hung tough garnering six innings in the setback. TU posted nine hits and totaled five runs (three earned), while taking a trio of free passes and striking out five times versus the right-hander.
Sophomore William Marshall (Frisco, Texas) worked 1.1 scoreless frames with no hits tallied against and added a punch out.
Keele had a big game for UD with a 3-for-4 showing, including his second homer of the year and a pair of RBI. The first baseman's long ball in the fourth got the road team on the board. His second-straight RBI nipped the deficit to 3-2.
It was a close as the road team got, as Trinity countered with a pair in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings.
Villanueva was the other member of the Navy and White with a multiple hit performance with two. He added the other RBI.
TU outhit the Crusaders 10-7.
Drew Butler and Brody Fehmel each posted a two RBI to lead the run production for the Tigers. Jeremy Wolf, Carter McEachern, and Fehmel all chipped in two base knocks apiece.
Earning the victory on the mound was Trent Rape with six innings of three-run ball. He gave up seven runs, walked one and struck out eight. Matt Tindall was credited with a three-inning save, allowing only one Crusader to reach via walk and sat down five.
UP NEXT
Dallas wraps up the three-game non-conference series on Sunday at Trinity. First pitch is at 1 p.m.