Baseball stumbles in Twinbill at Howard Payne; 2nd Game Shortened due to Darkness
BROWNWOOD, Texas – The University of Dallas baseball team dropped both games at Howard Payne University on Thursday. The pitching surrendered double-digit runs in both contests at Don Shepard Park. After falling 13-2 in seven innings to start the afternoon, the Crusaders offense scored eight runs and matched Howard Payne in hits with nine in the second outing. However, with two outs in the bottom of the fifth the game would be called due to darkness.
(Game 1) (Final 7 Innings)
Team Scores: Dallas (2), Howard Payne (13)
Team Records: Dallas (3-4), Howard Payne (3-0)
Pitcher Records: W) Owen (1-0), L) Voss (1-2)
The Yellow Jackets scored in all-but one inning to start the day. After getting a run in the first frame, the home team was able to push the lead out to a comfortable margin highlighted by three in the second, four in the fourth, and four in the sixth.
Dallas committed four errors in the game, which proved costly in the second inning with all the runs being unearned. After scoring at least one run in the first inning through six games to start of the season, the Crusaders went down in order in their opening turn to hit.
UD trailed by five runs through three innings, but a single up the middle by Jessup Scott (Lewiston, Idaho) broke the shutout attempt. Scott entered the day 5-of-6 and had another solid performance with a 2-for-3.
The Crusaders were limited to a season-low four hits, and their opponent was able to add-on by scoring eight runs with a pair of four-run frames.
Nathan Patton (McKinney, Texas) and Mark Peterson (Cincinnati, Ohio) recorded the other UD hits – both for doubles. Patton scored both runs for the guests, and Peterson had the other RBI.
Conrad Voss (Corona, Calif.) was saddled with the loss in the start. He allowed five runs (2 earned) on four hits and five walks. He struck out one. Tyler Montemayor (Boerne, Texas) threw three innings of relief.
Howard Payne totaled nine hits and walks to boast the high score. Joshua Gerrig, Noah Payne, and Null posted 2-for-4 games. Null was the lone player with multiple RBI and knocked a double. Jacob Rodriguez reached base three times via a walk, and ripped his lone hit for one-of-two triples by the Yellow Jackets.
Seth Owen tossed four innings in the start.
(Game 2) (Final 5 Innings)
Team Scores: Dallas (8), Howard Payne (10)
Team Records: Dallas (3-5), Howard Payne (4-0)
Pitcher Records: W) Vilaros (2-0), L) Anderson (0-2)
Patton singled to left center to score Josh Abalos (Lewisville, Texas). He came home on an error by the catcher to give the Crusaders a 2-0 advantage. Their only lead of the day was given up the next half inning, as the Yellow Jackets responded with six runs.
Gerrig led off with a walk, and then Austin Anderson (Waxahachie, Texas) induced a consecutive pop ups for two outs. Things swung in favor of Howard Payne, as a walk and back-to-back hit by pitches got the team on the board. Cliff Lunceford singled up the middle to put the Yellow Jackets, and then Michael Nowak cleared the bases with a three-run homer.
Dallas cut the margin to 6-4 with a pair of runs in the third. Patton doubled down the left field line to score Abalos, and Peterson followed with a single to right center to plate the third baseman.
After Lunceford tripled to drive in HPU's only run of the third, the Crusaders pulled within one with another two-spot in the fourth. Jordan Stickler (Grand Rapids, Mich.) reached on a fielder's choice that scored Seth Hanson (Apache Junction, Ariz.), and then Abalos drove in Luke Boylson (Fairview, Texas) on a sacrifice fly to right.
However, the Yellow Jackets got their second long ball of the game with another three-run blast from David Groves to extend the lead to 10-6.
Dallas plated two runs in its third straight inning, but with no lights the game had to be concluded in the bottom of the fifth.
Peterson led the Crusaders with a perfect showing at the plate with a season-high three hits. Patton was the other UD player with a multi-hit game going 2-for-3 with a double, two runs, and two RBI. Enrique Vigil (San Antonio, Texas) posted his lone hit for an RBI-double. Five of the top six hitters in the batting order recorded an RBI.
Jamie Wallace (Crocket, Texas) recorded the team's final 12 outs with four innings. He struck out five, while yielding four runs on seven hits and two walks.
Groves, Lunceford, and Nowak formed a trio of players with three RBI apiece. Dylan Vilaros started the first three innings and was credited with the win. Preston Newman, Brenden Clanton, and Evan Rodriguez also pitched in the shortened finish.
UP NEXT
Dallas participates in the Millsaps Tournament on February 23rd-25th. The first matchup is a neutral site game with Concordia University Chicago at 12 p.m.