Another walk-off Sends Baseball to a Happy Senior Day over No. 18 Centenary
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas baseball team walked-off for the second straight day in 10 innings to secure the three-game series versus No. 18 Centenary College. The final score Sunday favored Dallas, 4-3, and was the second extra inning game this season – both at home. These two programs have gone extra regulation at Crusader Field in each series at least once dating back to 2013. UD is 3-1 in such games, with the most recent home extra inning contest favoring the Gents (5-4) in 11 innings.
After going 0-9 this season versus top 25-ranked opponents, the Crusaders claimed two against the number 18 team in D3baseball.com/NCBWA poll. Saturday's victory over Centenary was the first for the program since topping No. 1 Trinity University in extras on the road on March 22, 2014.
Dallas caps the 2016 campaign with an 8-7 record at home. This includes winning the final four three-game sets, which also included every home conference series. The Crusaders prevailed in eight of their final 11 games, after starting off with four straight setbacks in the friendly confines.
GAME INFORMATION
Team Scores: #18 Centenary College (3), University of Dallas (4)
Team Records: Centenary (26-11, 10-8 SCAC), Dallas (12-28, 8-10 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Villanueva (3-3), L) Brown (2-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the third time this series it was nail-biter down the stretch, as both teams played in a deadlock from the seventh inning on. With a victor undetermined in the 3-3 score after nine innings, it was free baseball again in the final regular season game for the squads.
Centenary produced a one-out single to left by Colten Maples, but a pair of fly outs ended the guests half of the 10th. Freshman Mark Resnick (Houston, Texas) hit a chopper that was stopped on a potentially great play by the Gents' second baseman. However, a throw wide allowed the UD catcher to advance to scoring position with one down. Two singles later, junior JP Fasone (Englewood, Colo.) found on a hole on the right side and drove in his 13th RBI this year for the game-winner.
The Crusaders jumped on the board early with two runs in their opening frame. A trio of hits down the heart of UD's order led to the pair of runs, as senior Luciano Villanueva (San Antonio, Texas) singled to left and drove in Fasone and Freshman Thomas Martin (Vancouver, Wash.).
That advantage was nipped in the third as the Maroon and White took advantage of some ineffective location by senior Brian Donley (Chicago, Ill.). The bases would be loaded with no outs on a pair of walks and hit batsman, respectively. Maples tagged the lone hit of the third on a single through the left side. Chris Zapata followed with a fielder's choice that knotted things. Donley battled back with a strikeout and Dallas caught Maples trying to steal home after a throw-down to second.
In the sixth, the Gents gained their first lead of the afternoon on a sacrifice fly to right. Freshman Mark Peterson, game one's hero for UD, pounded his team-leading third home run of the season over the left field wall to create a brand new ballgame in the home half.
The home ninth was another dramatic filled inning, as the Crusaders stranded the game-winning run at third. Martin began the sequence on a walk, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Villanueva drew an intentional walk to bring fellow senior teammate Rene Vargas, Jr. (San Antonio, Texas) up with one gone. He reached on a fielder's choice to put them at the corners and two away. Peterson could not duplicate his success 24 hours ago. The feat instead would be achieved again in the 10th.
It was quite the sendoff on "Senior Day," as four players: John Howard (Plano, Texas), Donley, Vargas, Jr., and Villanueva all were honored prior to first pitch.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Villanueva played all nine positions for the Crusaders. He started at catcher and then moved around the diamond (LF, CF, RF, 1B, 3B, 2B, SS, P) each inning. The SCAC Co-Pitcher of the Week finished his career with a winning decision, throwing the final 1.1 frames.
- Villanueva was one of nine players in the UD lineup to collect at least a hit. The team tallied 14 altogether. Peterson's home run was the lone extra-base hit on either side.
- Sophomore Cole Wessling (Denton, Texas) was perfect his first three at-bats (3-for-5) with singles in each. Juniors Avery Arnold (McKinney, Texas), Zach San Roman (Miami, Fl.), and Resnick completed the multi-hit performers.
- Martin's first-inning knock capped his rookie season having reached base safely in 23 straight contests. His seven-game hitting streak remains active heading into next year, and he has hit safely in 21 contests during the 23-game span.
- Arnold swiped his team-leading 16th stolen case to finish a career-high. The total remains fifth best in the league.
- Donley hurled 8.2 innings in his first collegiate start. The righty held a potent lineup to four hits. He allowed three runs while walking three and fanning five.
- For the third game this season (all at home), UD did not commit an error.
- Maples led the Gents with a three-for-five. Aaron Quintanilla contributed two as the duo picked up five of the team's six.
- Jackie Allen settled down and maneuvered through eight innings. He allowed three runs (2 earned) on 11 hits. He walked four to go with that amount of punch outs. Dakota Brown was saddled in his second loss of the weekend.
UP NEXT
Dallas has concluded the 2016 regular season.
