DALLAS, Texas – The Dallas Christian College baseball team started its final weekend and regional conference series with a pair of setbacks to Kansas Christian College. In game one, a combination of seven errors and two hits led to a 10-2 setback. In game two,
Travis Whitehurst and
Marcos Franjul hit home runs that combined for seven RBI in the second inning, but DCC could not hold back the Falcons in an 18-9 loss.
Prior to the game, the Crusaders recognized a quartet of seniors for their contributions to the baseball program. This unit included:
Trever Smith,
Collin Patten,
Casey Morrow, and
Cade Croysdale.
Game 1 (L, 10-2)
Things were scoreless through two innings, but the Falcons would score four times in the third inning. Errors were costly as two of the runs were earned.
The Crusaders got a run back in the home half of the inning as
Stefon Reyes grounded out to second base and drove in
Brandon Andrews. Andrews recorded the team's other hit, which was a triple.
Down 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth, Morrow was able to answer a KCC run in the top half with a home run on Senior Day. It was his second of the season.
Kansas Christian removed any doubt of a comeback by stretching the three-run lead to six in the sixth. Ja'Hawn Byrd homered in the seventh to wrap up the scoring for the game. Cole Henley highlighted KCC's offense with three RBI and Jesus Reyes added a 3-for-4 for the lone multi-hit game. The Falcons totaled nine hits.
Smith went five innings and allowed three earned runs on six hits. He struck out four and walked three.
Sean Hiller pitched the last two innings.
Leandro Mendez went six innings in the start and struck out eight. He walked two and gave up the two extra-base hits that led to DCC runs.
Game 2 (L, 18-9)
This game looked promising for the Crusaders, as the offense broke out for seven runs.
Jaylen Camarillo walked with one out in the second inning.
Noah Snelson walked. The duo each got 90 feet on a wild pitch.
Mitchell Ray walked to load the bases on a 3-2 pitch. With a ball and no strikes, Whitehurst launched a grand slam over left field to put the Crusaders up 4-0. That was the second baseman's first long ball of the campaign.
Another set of runners for the Crusaders reached as Manny Valenzuela walked and Andrews singled to right. With two outs and the runners heading to scoring position on a wild pitch, Franjul deposited his seventh and now team-leading home run for a three-run shot. It was a 3-0 pitch and the shortstop got the green light to swing and put a big number up.
Unfortunately, the Falcons were able to charge back with five runs in the third and six in the fourth that were part of a stretch of 12 unanswered runs. Errors were another issue for DCC in this game, as the team had six and several in the third frame. During the stretch of runs allowed from innings three to five, KCC had runs driven in on two hits, which were a Brilynn Stults triple and Henley homer.
Valenzuela singled to center field on a full count that scored Snelson in the fifth to cut the deficit to 12-8.
The Falcons pulled away with six of the final seven runs. La'Quandre Williams and CL Stacker added long balls in the sixth on back-to-back at-bats. KCC finished with four runs in the sixth and two in the seventh.
DCC did get a run in the sixth on a hit by Camarillo. Both teams had 11 hits. The Falcons benefitted from six errors and nine walks.
Andrews was the top hitter with a 3-for-4 and a double. Whitehurst and Franjul combined for seven runs with a hit a piece. Snelson scored two runs, while eight different players scored for the Crusaders. Seven starters scored a run, while courtesy runner
Zeke Humek had the other run when in for Ray.
Cooper Ness picked up a stolen base for the Crusaders. They did draw six walks as a team.
Ryan Bailey went three innings in the start. He allowed four earned runs out of seven and scattered three hits. He walked three and struck out four of the five by DCC's staff.
James Holiday went 2.2 innings of relief, but all four pitchers allowed runs for the Crusaders in this one.
KCC was led by Henley with four RBI and a 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Stacker was perfect getting on base with three hits and two walks to go with four runs. Nine different players drove in a run, while four had multi-RBI games.
Ben Shively had a short start with 1.1 innings and four runs allowed. Zamil Castillo would earn the win in four relief innings. He allowed two runs on five hits to go with two walks and a strikeout. Jose Ballista worked consecutive games and had a scoreless seventh inning both times.
Dallas Christian continues the final home series on Saturday with a doubleheader versus Kansas Christian at 12 p.m. Prior to that game will be a special field dedication for head coach
Denny Dixon. A ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for the only head coach DCC baseball has known and his wife, Glenda Dixon, who passed away a little over a year ago. She was known as the DCC Baseball Mom.
"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."
