DALLAS, Texas – The Dallas Christian College baseball team went 0-3 on March 11-12 in its trio of contests that included games against NAIA Dakota State University and NCAA Division III Capital University. Blackburn University, who DCC defeated 13-11 on Thursday at University of Texas at Arlington, also played those two opponents during the round robin.
Game 1 vs. Dakota State University at 9:30 a.m. (Mar. 11)
The Crusaders were blanked on a chilly morning, 2-0. The Trojans claimed a run in the second and fourth innings and were able to keep DCC off the scoreboard.
Will Clair improved to 1-2 overall and went a complete game shutout, as he blanked DCC and held them to three hits and one hit-batter. Clair did not allow a walk and struck out eight.
Two of the DCC hits were doubles with Manny Valenzuela and Gustavio Silverio knocking one each.
Stefon Reyes added the other hit. Valenzuela smacked his to lead off the game, but he would be stranded at second as two of the next three batters struck out.
Dakota State sparked a two-out rally in the next half-inning with Chris Burke doubling down the right field line. After a full-count walk, Walker Hultgren singled through the left side. Although Burke scored on the play, DCC was able to catch Jackson O'Neal trying to advance to third on the throw home, and DCC's catcher
Kolby Bradshaw fired back to third baseman Silverio to get the tag.
O'Neal would be responsible for the other run-batted-in with a lineout to center that would be a sacrifice fly and plate Mason Macaluso in the fourth.
The Crusaders other extra base hit was with two outs in the home second inning, but Silverio was out at third trying to stretch a triple. DCC did not get a runner to second again until the seventh inning with one out when Reyes singled and
Marcos Franjul was hit by a pitch. A double play ended the game.
Ryan Bailey was the tough-luck losing pitcher with two runs on seven hits allowed. He worked around three walks and two hit batters. Bailey did fan four and used 10 of his outs via fly balls to get through his first complete game of the spring.
Game 2 vs. Capital University at 3:00 p.m. (Mar. 11)
In what was a high-scoring game that featured all-but three runs through the beginning three innings, DCC would come up short in a 9-8 setback to the Comets. The Crusaders scored in each of the first three innings to account for all eight of their runs.
A double by Ryne McKinney broke Capital on the scoreboard in the first inning. A throwing error helped Capital take a 2-0 lead through its first at bat.
A five-run home half helped DCC get in front with
Brandon Andrews doubling to center in the third at-bat of the game for the home team.
Travis Whitehurst scored on the play. A passed ball plated Valenzuela to tie the game and Andrews later would be the go-ahead run with a wild pitch. DCC created another run without a ball in play, as
Zeke Humek stole second and Reyes came home on the throw down. A fielding error allowed
Cooper Ness to reach and wrapped up a 5-2 lead.
Franjul would tally an RBI groundout in the second inning, but that was the only run coming with the bases loaded. It was the largest lead of the game by DCC at 6-2.
Capital answered with a three-run double by Cade Anderson, who was 3-for-5 with a run scored for the Comets. A few batters later, Ben Stevens, would tie things on a bases-loaded walk.
DCC did not let that tie game last long, as Valenzuela singled to the left side of the field on the ground and Reyes poked a hit up the middle to bring in a runner each and open an 8-6 advantage.
The Comets left pinch runner Ryan Brophy, who stole second and third, on base in the fourth inning. They had a runner in scoring position the remaining visitor innings, but could not come through until the seventh. After
Trey Vento entered for with the bases loaded in the sixth thanks to a trio of walks, the right-handed pitcher induced a foul ball pop up to third.
Vento could not hold off the rally in the seventh, as a walk on a 3-2 pitch placed Cole Callaghan on base. He would steal second. After a fly out to left, a pop near where the catcher sits was hauled in by
Josh Freeman in what appeared to be out number two. However, the umpires had ruled a balk on the pitch and the play was dead, so the runner was awarded third and the bat continued. The batter would double to right field and be the tying runner in scoring position. After a dropped fly by the center fielder, DCC almost escaped 2
nd and 3
rd, as EJ Santana struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch by Vento. Back-to-back wild pitches put the Comets on top by a run.
With an out, Silverio singled to spark hope for DCC. Camarillo almost had a tying double down the right field line, but Capital's defender made a sliding grab to his left near where the line is about midway deep. A spectacular sliding catch was enough to catch Silverio drifting off too far and not making it back in time to end the game.
The Crusaders outhit Capital by one, 9-8. Four of the top five hitters counted for all-but one hit, which was Silverio. Valenzuela led with a good performance of 3-for-4 and had an RBI and run scored. Reyes was the other multi-hit player with a 2-for-3 and RBI and run scored. Whitehurst scored three times, while the following three batters would also score once to give the top four places in the lineup a combined six runs. Whitehurst reached two more times with a pair of walks and also had a steal. Reyes and Humek also each had one.
Trevor Smith started and went 2.2 innings. He garnered four of the pitching staff's five groundball outs.
Sean Hiller and
Gavin Chamberlain, both true freshmen, would combine for the next two shutout innings and did not allow a hit, while striking out a combined three. The duo did combine for five walks. Vento, who pitched consecutive days, would go an inning altogether, but he blew the save.
Capital recorded nine hits with five counting as doubles. The team also swiped five stolen bases. Garrett Montgomery provided sold 4.2 innings of relief action. He allowed two runs on four hits and fanned four. Eight of Montgomery's outs were in the air. Kaleb Stafford had the one hit, but also had a strikeout and got the save with exactly 10 pitches total.
Game 3 vs. Dakota State University at 3 p.m. (Mar. 12)
In the team's lone game on Saturday, the visiting Trojans were unbeaten with a 4-0 showing overall and had double-digits in runs scored in all-but the opening game mentioned above to start the six slated games. Dakota State scored six times in the second and sixth innings to break this thing well open.
A triple by Valenzuela to center got Silverio to score in the third inning, but that was the closest things got.
Noah Angstadt went 2-for-5 with four RBI to lead the way. Burke was 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Seth Altwine was another player to score three times and matched Angstadt with four RBI in a game, which included his three-run homer in the second inning to make a 5-0 edge.
Valenzuela remained the hot bat in the DCC lineup with the lone multi-hit game at 2-for-4. Both knocks went for extra bases on a double and triple. The top four hitters recorded all-but one hit, which the other was Silverio in the number-nine spot.
Casey Morrow started and went 4.1 innings, while allowing eight hits and runs, seven earned.
James Holiday was the lone pitcher to not allow a run, hit, or walk in his final inning of work. All four pitchers for DCC had a strikeouts.
Dallas Christian heads on the road for its first out-of-town games at Mid-America Christian University on Tuesday, Mar. 15. First pitch of the twinbill is at 1 p.m.
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