DALLAS, Texas – The Dallas Christian College baseball team split its Friday doubleheader against NCCAA Regional opponent, Randall University. The Crusaders clung to a 5-4 advantage late in game one, but the Saints rallied for three runs in their last at-bat to win the series opener, 7-5. In game two, the Crusaders were able to end the day with a walk-off in 5-4 fashion.
Joel Stone was the hero knocking a triple to center field in the seventh inning.
Noah Snelson entered to run and would come in to score on a sacrifice fly by Gustavio Silverio.
Game 1 Recap (L, 7-5)
Both teams got on the board in the first inning. Randall struck for a pair of runs that was started by a William Young double. An error after Cauy Hollis singled to right would allow an additional run to come in.
DCC got a run back to cut the deficit in half with a
Stefon Reyes single to right field that scored
Travis Whitehurst. Reyes, who was named NCCAA Student-Athlete of the Week last week, only had the one hit and RBI of the game. He was part of a 10-hit day by DCC that featured the top five hitters in the lineup collecting a hit.
Brandon Andrews,
Cooper Ness, and
Carlos Torres each had two-hit games.
After the Saints got a run in the third and fourth frames to stretch the margin to 3 runs, Torres singled through the right side for an RBI to plate Ness. Whitehurst singled to right as well and scored
Casey Morrow. Down a run, the Crusaders gained their first lead of the game with two runs in the fifth inning. Ness smacked the lone extra-base hit for DCC with a double to left field that scored Snelson. Torres singled the opposite way to left and went up 5-4.
Collin Patten was on the bump for the Crusaders and pitched 6.1 innings. He allowed six runs (five earned) on 12 hits. He walked two and struck out four. Patten was battling for the complete game and had worked through trouble most of the afternoon. An impressive play by DCC catcher
Josh Freeman started the troubling sixth after an infield sixth would be extinguished. Freeman had been backing up the play at first and an errant throw that got away was recovered by Freeman. He hustled and caught Randall's Jayden Reeve off first after he had turned toward second base. It was a huge play, because the Saints loaded the bases and stranded them that inning.
In the seventh with runners on first and second with one out, Ethan Connell entered looking for the save. A blooper to left field allowed Randall to tie the scoreboard at 5. With runners on the corners, Randall was trying to intentionally get into a rundown to allow the lead runner to come home. The plan backfired as RU's trail runner was out at second on the rundown. However, another single to left on soft contact by Zach Clarkson lifted the guests, 6-5. Randall wrapped the scoring on a wild pitch.
DCC could not find an answer in the bottom of the seventh.
Both teams reached double-digit hits with Randall holding a 14-10 edge. Alex Young got the win in relief with two innings of one batter over the minimum. He hit a batter for his only blemish.
Game 2 Recap (W, 5-4)
Randall and DCC exchanged runs again in the first inning. The Saints took a lead on a wild pitch in the top of the inning. Lance Nunley came in.
The Crusaders answered with a
Brandon Andrews home run to left field. It was a no-doubter for the center fielder, who now has four on the campaign.
Clarkson doubled to give the Saints a 3-1 edge in the fourth inning. DCC responded with three runs in the home half. Silverio singled on the ground through the left side to score Ness. Andrews came up with a huge knock to center field that plated two runs with the bases loaded.
Another wild pitch victimized the Crusaders in the fifth inning to level the score at four apiece.
Needing a win to split the day, Stone laced a line drive to center and the ball was able to drop and skip all the way to the center field wall. Snelson ran for him and with an out already done, Silverio drove a fly ball to deep left field on a 1-2 pitch.
DCC outhit the Saints, 10-7.
Andrews was the individual standout with a 3-for-4 game and three RBI. He scored a run on the round-tripper. Stone and Silverio, who were part of the winning tandem in the seventh had the remaining two-hit games. Five different players scored a run, including two pinch runners in
Darian Russell and Snelson.
Ryan Bailey got the start and worked 4.1 innings. He allowed four runs (3 earned) on six hits. He was able to get two strikeouts, but did walk five batters and get charged four wild pitches.
Gavin Chamberlain tossed 2.1 innings and did not allow a run, hit, or walk. He also had a pair of strikeouts.
James Holiday escaped a jam in the seventh by getting the last out on the ground and would take the winning decision.
Roman McKeever started for Randall and went four innings. He allowed four runs (2 earned) on six hits. He walked three and fanned two. Jet Sparks was saddled with the loss in 2.2 innings. He worked around four hits and a walk. He struck out one.
This is DCC's first walk-off of the campaign.
Dallas Christian wraps up the series on Saturday. First pitch at 12 p.m. DCC makes up its postponed game from Austin College on March 29 at 5 p.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."
