Strong Pitching Performances give Baseball Sweep verses Austin College
IRVING, Texas – A rescheduled doubleheader on Saturday went in favor of the University of Dallas baseball team, as the Crusaders avenged a road sweep earlier this month at Austin College by claiming one at their venue. Dallas improved to .500 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) action and has now won four straight at the home confines. The final scores were 4-1 and 3-2 in games on and two, respectively.
GAME ONE INFORMATION
Team Scores: Austin College (1), University of Dallas (4)
Team Records: Austin (9-13, 0-8 SCAC), Dallas (6-19, 2-3 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Villanueva (1-2), L) Moody (2-5)
In the early morning start time, the Crusaders dodged trouble most of the contest and got just enough offense to prevail 4-1 in the middle game of the series. Austin College out hit the home squad, 8-6, but would strand nine runners on base. Seven of those runners were left in scoring position.
UD posted its first offensive threat in the fifth inning and took the lead for good with a run scored. Senior Luciano Villanueva (San Antonio, Texas) drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second on a single by junior JP Fasone (Englewood, Colo.) The duo successfully managed a double-steal, and freshman Mark Peterson (Cincinnati, Ohio) drove Villanueva in that same at-bat with a sacrifice fly to left field.
In the next frame, freshman Thomas Martin (Vancouver, Wash.) extended his career-long hitting streak to seven games (at the time) with an RBI-single to left field and scored classmate Josh Abalos (Lewisville, Texas). Abalos also started the inning with a walk. He stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt.
Finally, the rest of UD's scoring came from the benefit of an Austin miscue. Junior Avery Arnold (McKinney, Texas) reached on a first baseman fielding error to start the home eighth. A steal from the center fielder during the next at-bat helped eventually get him to third on the first out of the inning. A second out was made on a grounder to third base. Martin sparked a stretch of three straight hits with his and Villanueva's counting for RBI knocks. That pushed the UD edge to 4-0.
The 'Roos avoided the shutout by scratching an unearned run across the plate in their final team at-bat. They left two in scoring position and had the game-tying run at the plate with two outs. UD starter, Villanueva, went his first career complete game in the start.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Martin led the way with a 2-for-4 performance, two RBI, and a run scored.
- Junior Zach San Roman (Miami, Fl.) added a knock as the hitters 3-6 in UD's lineup combined for five of the team's six hits. Sophomore Cole Wessling (Denton, Texas) whacked the other hit.
- Villanueva drew two walks and Abalos had the other home team walk.
- Season-high five UD stolen bases: two from Villanueva, Abalos, Fasone, and Arnold.
- Villanueva went career-long, nine innings for first win this spring. He allowed eight hits, an unearned run on two walks and struck out three.
- The 'Roos were led by Austin Dudley and RJ Melton with two-hit games. Six of the first seven hitters had knocks but only Thomas Oberg would cross home as nine AC players were left on.
- Brett Moody was saddled with the loss going 7.2 innings and was charged three runs (2 earned) on three hits. He walked three and struck out six.
- Chase Almaguer got the final UD out but came in to face Martin in the eighth.
GAME TWO INFORMATION
Team Scores: Austin College (2), University of Dallas (3)
Team Records: Austin (9-14, 0-9 SCAC), Dallas (7-19, 3-3 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) A. Griesbauer (2-2), L) Parish (3-3) S) Marshall (2)
With the series secured, the Crusaders would achieve their first three-game sweep since this same opponent nearly two years go on March 29-30, 2014 at Crusader Field.
Once again it would be a pitchers' duel with three arms between both sides being used combined in the game. Dallas etched a run in the second and third innings, and would add an insurance tally in the sixth to open a 3-0 advantage.
San Roman led the second inning off by being hit by a pitch. Villanueva grounded out to first which advanced the designated hitter in this one by 90 feet. San Roman hustled home on an RBI-single by Peterson to give the Navy and White a lead that wasn't relinquished.
In the next frame, Martin reclaimed his RBI-lead on the season with a sacrifice fly out to right field. Arnold would score on the putout and was the second UD runner that scored by reaching on a hit by pitch. A note that Martin singled in the sixth to push the Crusaders' longest active hitting streak to eight games. In that same frame, Villanueva reached on a bases loaded fielder's choice and Fasone scored.
At that juncture, the Maroon and Gold had only threatened in the fifth with two left on, but not a single hit was recorded in the inning. The first three 'Roos' reached to begin the seventh (two via singles) and spelled the end of UD starter sophomore Abraham Griesbauer's (Troy, Mo.) afternoon. Junior William Marshall (Frisco, Texas) entered and induced a double play that was desired. Melton scored on the sequence but Marshall fanned Angelo Winings to limit the damage.
Marshall would remain in the ballgame the final two innings. Austin College applied pressure by getting an RBI-fielder's choice from Dudley to nip the deficit to 3-2. With a one-run ball-game and runner on third, Dudley would be caught stealing at second by freshman Mark Resnick (Houston, Texas). That was second runner Resnick nailed on the base-paths, as he went 2-for-2 in chances on the game. In the ninth, a one out single by Jeremy Halford ignited life for AC. However, down to the final out as he advanced to second on a groundout, Derek Hester pinch hit for Winings and grounded back to Marshall, who threw to first and nailed down his second save this year.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Fasone delivered a season-best performance with a 3-for-4 and is on a six-game hitting streak.
- Top three hitters in UD lineup had five of seven team hits. Villanueva picked up third hit in as many games this series.
- No extra base hits for second game in a row by either side. The team's combined 0-for-5 in successful steals. Fasone would be caught for the first time this season after swiping six in four of past five contests.
- Griesbaurer logged a career-high six innings in his second win of the year (second in a row at home). The left-hander had only gone five innings or more twice in his career prior to today. The starter limited AC to a pair of hits and allowed the earned run. He struck out four and walked three.
- Marshall tossed the final three innings and allowed a run on two hits with two walks and a punch out.
- This was the first time all season Dallas had not committed an error. The 'Roos had one.
- AC's Halford punched half of the team's four hits, while Oberg and Daniel also recorded one apiece.
- Mychael Parish went eight innings in the loss, giving up three runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out four.
UP NEXT
Dallas is at Texas Lutheran University on April 2-3 with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. that Saturday.