Crusaders Split with Arlington Baptist
February 29, 2024
IRVING, Texas. - The University of Dallas softball team split their double header against Arlington Baptist University on Thursday, improving to 1-9 on the year.
Game 1
Dallas 10, Arlington Baptist 9
WP: SunnyDale Thies (1-3)
LP: Sophia Cordova (0-1)
The Patriots took advantage of a two-out error to strike first, stringing together a walk and three hits following the error to jump out to a 3-0 lead.
Dallas answered back in the bottom of the second, reaping the benefits of four free passes and coming up with some timely hits to tie the game 3-3.
The teams traded blows in the fourth and fifth innings; the Patriots scored a run in the fourth on a wild throw down to second trying to nab a would-be base stealer, then the Crusaders racked up four runs in the bottom half of the inning on three hits, three walks and an error.
Arlington answered right back in the top of the fifth with four runs on four hits and an error, taking an 8-7 lead.
SunnyDale Thies got out of a prickly situation in the sixth with two runners on and one out, coming up with two big strikeouts to escape the inning unscathed.
The Crusaders came up clutch with two outs in the sixth, stringing a couple of hits together to tie up the game 8-8, then took a 9-8 lead on a wild pitch. They were one out away from securing the win without having to hit in the seventh, but the Patriots came up with two knocks and a walk to drive in the tying run.
It didn't take long for Dallas to walk off the game. Gianna Alvarez led off the inning with a single, then moved to second on a sac bunt by Amarisa Garza. Then on a 1-0 count, Kailey Sweezey smacked a single up the middle, and the speedy Alvarez came around easily to score and notch the first win of the season for Dallas.
Game 2
Dallas 2, Arlington Baptist 8
WP: Ariana Cabrera (1-0)
LP: SunnyDale Thies (1-4)
Dallas threatened a number of times throughout the game, but struggled to capitalize on their chances. The Patriots made the most of theirs, plating their first run on a two-out error and doubling in one more to take a 2-0 lead in the second.
The Crusaders stranded seven runners across the first five innings, and trailed 5-0 as a result. They finally managed to put something together with two runs on three hits in the sixth, but only after the Patriots had scored three runs in the top half of the inning.
Dallas went into the seventh trailing 8-2 and couldn't do anything with Jennifer Schmalz's lead-off single, as Arlington Baptist saw out the win to split the day.
Up Next
The Crusaders will host a three-game series with La Roche University, starting with a double header on Tuesday, March 12 at 2:00 pm.