Baseball Splits at LeTourneau on Saturday
LONGVIEW, Texas – The University of Dallas Baseball team claimed a split on Saturday to begin a three-game, non-conference series at LeTourneau University. After winning 6-2 in the scheduled seven-inning opener, Dallas came up short a run in the latter contest 8-7. Dallas ended a four-game losing stretch in head-to-head meetings dating back to 2012. The win at Conrad-Vernon Field was the first for the Crusaders since a 5-0 triumph in seven frames on March 12, 2011.
GAME 1 INFORMATION
Team Scores: University of Dallas (6), LeTourneau University (2) (Final 7 Innings)
Team Records: Dallas (10-18), LeTourneau (7-18)
Pitcher of Record: W) Felchak (2-3), L) Carns (1-7), S) Marshall (2)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
- Zach San Roman (Miami, Fla.) produced his first multi-hit game of the year and was perfect (4-4) at the plate with a personal best four knocks. One of those was a double.
- The top five hitters in the Crusaders lineup card all scored once.
- Nathan Patton (McKinney, Texas) and Brice Cell (Keller, Texas) each had an RBI. Cell was the other player to score.
- Seth Hanson (Apache Junction, Ariz.) added a hit to keep his streak extended at the time (6). He was hitless in game two.
- Ryan Hammonds (Cedar Hill, Texas) started and threw three innings. He had three strikeouts on two walks along with two runs (1 earned) and three hits allowed.
- Eric Felchak (The Woodlands, Texas) picked up a win in relief with 2.1 shutout frames.
- The Crusaders pitching arms yielded the fewest hits (4) combined since Hammond's one-hitter on opener day versus Sul Ross State University.
- The victory for the Dallas baseball program was number 800 in history.
- LeTourneau's Carson Dickey recorded half the hits with a 2-for-4 and added an RBI. Noah Mahoney went yard for a home run.
- Jordan Carns was saddled with the loss throwing five innings and allowing four runs (3 earned) on six hits. He walked three and struck out two. Blake Maxfeldt also fanned a pair and allowed two runs (neither earned).
HOW IT HAPPENED
The YellowJackets scored their runs in the second and third innings. Mahoney broke the scoreless tie with a one-out solo homer in the second. Dallas immediately countered in the next top part of the inning to get in front.
In that third, Jordan Stickler (Grand Rapids, Mich.) drew a one-out walk and then JP Fasone (Englewood, Colo.) followed with the same plate appearance result. After a second out was made, Patton and San Roman laced consecutive RBI-singles to left center to go in front 2-1.
A run in the third drew the home squad back even at two in the bottom half of the inning. An error by the Dallas defense allowed all the runners to advance 90 feet and Jacob Faubion scored.
The Crusaders were responsible for the next four unanswered runs. A run in the fourth on an error by the YellowJackets allowed Stickler to reach and Cell to score the go-ahead run. An inning later, the visitors doubled the lead as San Roman dropped a double just down the right field line to score Hanson.
William Marshall (Frisco, Texas) was summoned in the two-run ballgame in the sixth. The YellowJackets had stranded two the previous inning. With a one-out walk to Haden Simmons, the senior righty fanned consecutive hitters to keep the score at 4-2.
Dallas got two insurance runs in the seventh to seal its second win during this five-game, non-conference stretch.
GAME 2 INFORMATION
Team Scores: University of Dallas (7), LeTourneau University (8)
Team Records: Dallas (10-19), LeTourneau (8-18)
Pitcher of Record: W) Harlan (2-4), L) A. Griesbauer (3-1), S) Buchanan (2)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
- Mark Peterson (Cincinnati, Ohio) posted a 2-for-4 with UD's lone multiple hit outing. He also homered for the lone extra base hit on the visitor's dugout. This contest marks his third multi-hit game of the campaign and fourth with at least two ribbies.
- Patton notched a hit in his third game in a row and had two RBI to have three combined on the afternoon.
- Stickler added a hit and scored a run. He has crossed home in the past three straight games.
- Paul Scioli (Lubbock, Texas) added a knock, RBI, and run.
- Colby Davenport (Crockett, Texas) made his second start within the past three games. He threw a personal best four innings and allowed four runs (2 earned) on four hits.
- Abraham Griesbauer (Troy, Mo.) was saddled with his first loss on the year. Cole Morden (Arlington, Texas) walked one and struck out one with no runs or hits in two frames on the mound.
- The YellowJackets captured five doubles, which matched a season-high allowed. The other game was the home midweek matchup versus Dallas Christian College.
- Ryan Conger, Jacob Simmons, and Jacobs contributed a trio of doubles and all had multiple hits. Conger also launched a homer.
- Andrew Harlan got seven strikeouts in eight innings of work. He scattered seven hits and allowed five runs (3 earned). Kyle Buchanan was called for the save opportunity and delivered with 0.2 innings that included a final strikeout.
HOW IT HAPPENED
An early lead did not hold up for Dallas in game two. Patton snuck a single down the right field line to score Stickler and Scioli who started the contest with back-to-back singles. The Crusaders stretched their advantage to three in the fourth as Enrique Vigil (San Antonio, Texas) drove in Peterson on a single that split the left center gap.
LeTourneau responded with its first run in the bottom of the frame. J. Simmons brought in Mahoney on a sacrifice fly. He had reached on a UD fielding error to start the inning. Conger's double moved him to third for the RBI opportunity. That run sparked a four-inning span where LETU etched a scoring play.
The home team boasted its biggest inning in the fifth with a four-spot. After the first two batters reached, Jacobs doubled down the left field line for an RBI that scored Zach Cochran. Cochran had started the inning by being hit by a pitch. An error followed before the two-bagger. Davenport plunked his second guy of the inning and was lifted after. Mahoney knotted the contest with an RBI-groundout and then Conger smashed a two-run blast to give LeTourneau its first advantage of the game.
Peterson countered by clubbing his fourth round-tripper of the season to give him sole possession of the team-lead. Fasone had reached the prior at bat on an error, so his unearned run helped even the scoreboard again.
The YellowJackets jumped ahead for good with a run in the bottom of the sixth and two in the seventh. The first run was a passed ball. With none out and down one, the Crusaders got the first out as H. Simmons hit into a fielder's choice and Mahoney was out at home. With the bases still loaded, Faubion placed a sacrifice bunt to give his team a two-run lead. A third Dallas error allowed an 8-5 advantage.
Two runs came across for the Crusaders in the ninth as the team seeked another improbable comeback after their eight-run, ninth on Wednesday. San Roman led off the final inning of regulation with a pinch hit walk. A fielder's choice got Vigil on and retired San Roman for the first out. Josh Abalos (Lewisville, Texas) walked and Stickler was hit to create drama. Buchanan toed the rubber in the jam and got Scioli to roll over on a grounder that was just a force out at second. A wild pitch scored Abalos to cut the margin to 8-7 and Scioli advanced to second. However a strikeout ended the thriller.
UP NEXT
Tomorrow's rubber game between Dallas and the YellowJackets has been moved up to 11 a.m. due to predicted poor weather in the forecast.