Baseball busts out for 8 runs combined in 6th and 7th innings; Hold off Dallas Christian in 9th

IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas baseball team held on to a nail-biting 8-7 victory on Tuesday afternoon against Dallas Christian College. The home Crusaders did not muster much offense until the 6^th inning and combined for all runs in that and the frame that followed. The guests rallied for five runs within the last six outs, including a three-run 9^th.

GAME INFORMATION

Team Scores: Dallas Christian College (7), University of Dallas (8)

Team Records: Dallas Christian (0-0), Dallas (6-9)

Pitching Records: W) A. Griesbauer (2-0) L) Williams (0-0)

NOTABLE STATISTICS

- Seth Hanson (Apache Junction, Ariz.) notched his 6^th multiple hit game (2-4) and drove in a career-high four runs. He also went deep for his 3^rd home run of the campaign.

- Josh Abalos (Lewisville, Texas) posted three hits (3-4) in his first multi-hit game and scored a run. He and JP Fasone (Englewood, Colo.) each swiped a pair of stolen bases.

- Jordan Stickler (Grand Rapids, Mich.) added the other two-hit outing (2-4) with a pair of RBI and runs scored.

- Zachary Taylor (Humble, Texas) started for the second time a week later. This time he went four innings and allowed two runs on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

- Abraham Griesbauer (Troy, Mo.) earned the win by pitching a scoreless 6^th before UD's offense took the lead in the bottom half.

- Austin Holbrook led the opposing Crusaders with a homer, four RBI, two hits, and a walk. Barclay Brunson notched the team's other two-hit game (2-3), and walked and scored twice.

- Mark Zuniga scored three times and had one-of-two doubles from DCC. Ethan Rocha had the other two-bagger.

- Colton Williams started and fanned seven batters in five plus innings. He was lifted in the 6^th, and was charged with three runs (2 earned) and eventually saddled with the loss. The staff combined for 10 punch outs.  

HOW IT HAPPENED

The first three innings on both sides went up-and-down quickly as the left handed starters on both squads worked at a rapid pace. Dallas Christian struck first in the top of the 4^th as three consecutive hitters reached on base knocks. Brunson singled to left to begin the frame. Zuniga doubled to left and Holbrook drove the pair in with a hit to left center. UD's Taylor recorded a double play and then DCC's runner on a grounder to second and covered to end the inning.

Dallas meanwhile through five innings only had one hit from the number 9 hitter, Abalos. In the 6^th, Abalos singled to left field to lead off and then Fasone walked. Then the speedy tandem successfully made a double steal and each got to scoring position. Stickler reached on a fielding error, but Abalos would have scored anyway for UD's first run. Hanson smacked the go-ahead runs with a single to left center.

Stickler had swiped second during his at bat. Hanson next earned a theft of his own to give the Crusaders six as a team. After Brice Cell (Keller, Texas) walked, the Crusaders moved the pair into scoring position but had two outs. Jake McCoy (Fort Worth, Texas) pinch hit and dropped a single in front of the center fielder to complete a five-run inning.

Dallas added three runs in the next bottom half of an inning. Stickler drove in Fasone who led off with a walk and stole second after a chance at getting picked off. A throwing error allowed the second baseman to move to 3^rd before Stickler punched a single right center. Stickler then got to race around to 3^rd base after a pickoff attempt was muffed by the first baseman. It didn't matter as Hanson launched his first home run at Crusader Field and 3^rd by a UD player at home this season. That stretched the advantage 8-2.

Cole Morden (Arlington, Texas), Griesbauer, and Blake Palmer (Coppell, Texas) each had tossed one scoreless inning of relief in the 5^th-7^th innings. Dallas Christian struck for a pair in the 8^th, as Holbrook homered to the same area Hanson had a half inning prior. Still, UD's Nick Goehring (Phoenix, Ariz.) and William Bresnahan (Windham, N.H.) combined to strikeout the side.

In the final inning, the opposing Crusaders rallied for three runs with the help of a trio of UD miscues. William Marshall (Frisco, Texas) got the last out on a fairly well hit fly ball that Hanson ran over to secure and left Dallas Christian with the tying run at second base.

UP NEXT

Dallas begins Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) action March 11-12 at home versus Texas Lutheran University. A doubleheader at 12 p.m. on Saturday kicks off conference action against the reigning regular season champions.