DALLAS, Texas – The Dallas Christian College baseball team collected a pair of wins on Friday versus NAIA Crowley's Ridge College with 9-4 and 6-0 finals. This was the third time this year that DCC won consecutive games and the first to take a doubleheader on the same day over same opponent since opening day on February 12 versus Austin College.
The Crusaders jumped to an early lead in game one and would score five unanswered after Crowley's Ridge tied things in the third inning.
Stefon Reyes stood out for the Crusaders with a 3-for-4 game and two RBI. He scored three runs and launched a solo home run in the third to break the deadlock.
In game two, the Crusaders plated three runs in the third and fourth innings.
Marcos Franjul shined in this contest with a trio of runs-batted-in, including a two-run double to put the home team on the board.
Ryan Bailey and Ethan Connell combined for the team's first shutout this season. Bailey picked up his first win, tossing six innings and striking out four.
Game 1 (W, 9-4)
The Crusaders got on the board first with a three-run opening inning to take the lead. A one-out double by Manny Valenzuela and walk to
Brandon Andrews set the stage for Reyes. He had beaten a single out to second but a throwing error allowed two runs to score. Another error would plate the third DCC run that inning.
The Pioneers countered with a pair of runs in the second inning highlighted by a two-out double by Bobby Wright to center field.
Carlos Torres drove in the lone DCC run in the second inning with hit up the middle to plate
Casey Morrow. Morrow had started the inning with a four-pitch walk and then moved to second on a groundout. Torres moved to second on a wild pitch but consecutive strikeouts ended the inning.
John Grace helped Crowley's Ridge level the score with a two-run double to center field in the third inning. The Pioneers never led in this game but had battled back to knot the game. Patten worked around a pair of DCC errors and was able to get a couple strikeouts on swings to keep the score tied.
Things didn't stay even long, as Reyes crushed a solo shot to start the home third inning. That was the first round-tripper for the Georgetown, Texas, native. Morrow would add a sacrifice fly to push the score to 6-4.
Each side traded perfect innings in the fourth and Patten got a 1-2-3 in the fifth inning. DCC would add on with two more runs in the fifth rounded the scoring off in the sixth.
Patten's final line in his second complete game of the year was: four runs (3 earned), six hits, one walk, and six strikeouts. He did hit a batter and normally a groundball pitcher, he induced 10 fly outs compared to five groundouts in this outing.
Reyes was the lone Crusader with a multi-hit performance with a 3-for-4 and three runs scored. He did finish with two of the team's five runs-batted-in.
Cooper Ness had the other ribbie not mentioned yet. Seven different players scored a run, including the first six spots in the batting lineup.
Zeke Humek was a courtesy runner for sixth-hitter
Josh Freeman and came in one time.
DCC outhit the Pioneers 7-6, with the guests only extra-base hits on the run-scoring doubles. Jack Roney was saddled with the loss, going five innings. He allowed five earned runs on six hits and walked three. He struck out five but was wild hitting three batters and throwing three wild pitches. Nick Garrett tossed the sixth inning and posted a hit, run, walk, and strikeout.
Game 2 (W, 6-0)
The Crusaders used a trio of runs in the third and fourth and once again tallied seven hits to complete the sweep on the day. Both teams were relatively quiet through the first two innings, but the home team broke through with a two-run double to left by Franjul that scored
Travis Whitehurst and Andrews. Whitehurst recorded the other hit that inning with a single to left to start the frame. Andrews had reached on an error.
Christopher Bilbo tallied the other RBI on a sacrifice fly to bring home Reyes on the next batter after the shortstop Franjul.
DCC doubled the advantage in the fourth with Whitehurst leading off with another single, this time up the middle. After Humek reached on a defensive miscue, Andrews drove in Whitehurst with a double to center field. A wild pitch plated the fifth run and then a fielder's choice by Franjul allowed Andrews to come in for the final run. The Crusaders got another extra-base hit that inning with Bilbo clobbering a double to center but Franjul was thrown out on a good relay to home that helped prevent further damage.
The big story this game was DCC starting pitcher, Bailey. The right-hander out of Georgetown, Texas, earned his first win of the year with six shutout innings. He yielded three hits, two walks, and struck out four. Bailey did not allow a runner to reach third until the sixth inning and only had allowed two runners at second, once in second and fourth innings.
Bailey was in trouble in the sixth, but got a one-out strikeout on a 2-2 pitch when two runners were in scoring position. After a two-out walk loaded the bases, he got a fly out to left and kept the shutout intact.
Ethan Connell hit two batters and had a full count walk after getting the first out in the seventh. Trouble was averted when Kole Simms lined into a double play at short and the toss to second doubled off Chipper Lamb to finish the Friday sweep.
Whitehurst was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Bilbo had the other multi-hit game and was perfect at the plate with two base knocks. Franjul drove in three runs to lead in that category. The fours four batters in the DCC lineup combined to score all six runs. Andrews, Franjul, and Bilbo hit doubles for the team's three extra-base hits. Whitehurst also picked up a stolen base.
As mentioned, the Crusaders won consecutive games for the third time this season and just their second doubleheader sweep of the campaign. The other was versus Austin College. They did earn one shutout at home last year with a 3-0 final at home over Champion Christian College on April 17, 2021.
Dallas Christian returns to action on Saturday against the same Pioneers of Crowley's Ridge College. First pitch is at 11 a.m.
"Dallas Christian educates and mentors students to be people of influence engaging in their calling to the work of Christ in the church and in the world."
