GEORGETOWN - Sophomore Byron Dowdell II hit a two-run walk off home run with two down to give the Southwestern University baseball team a 9-8 win in game one of their three game series against Dallas. The Crusaders bounced back and won game two 11-3 to split the series on Saturday at Rockwell Field.
Dallas jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first, but a triple by junior Colby Schmidt followed by a sac fly by junior Cole Kelly made it a 2-1 game. Dallas extended the lead to 3-1, but Southwestern scored three in the bottom of the third to take their first lead of the game.
Dowdell reach on an error, scroing a run, while Schmidt laced a two out, two RBI double down the left field line for the 4-3 lead.
Senior Jason McCormack and freshman Austin Smith added RBI singles in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, to move the lead ou to 6-3. The Crusaders got a two run home run in the sixth to make it 7-5, but McCormack responded with a RBI single in the sixth to push the lead out to 7-6.
Dallas had it going at the plate late in the game, scoring two in the eighth to tie it at seven and one in the ninth to move ahead 8-7, looking to steal game one.
In the ninth with one down, McCormack put together a terrific at bat, working a full count and forcing a walk to get on. One batter later, Dowdell took a 2-0 pitch and scorched it over the left field wall to send the Rockwell crowd into a frenzy and giving the Pirates the 9-8 win.
Dowdell finished 1-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored while Smith was 3-for-4 with a RBI. Schmidt was 2-for-2 with a double, triple, two RBIs, and two runs scored. McCormack finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs while freshman Bryce Debbs was 1-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
Sophomore Colton Hunter pitched seven complete, striking out nine while allowing five earned on eight hits. Senior Riley Wayland pitched 1.1 innings while freshman Aaron Clark (W, 1-0) got his first collegiate win, striking out one. Conrad Voss (L, 3-4) took the loss for the Crusaders.
In game two, the Crusaders again jumped out to a lead, moving ahead 3-0 after two. Southwestern evened the game in the fourth thanks to a two-run homer from Kelly and a RBI single from sophomore Daniel Montgomery Jr.
However, the Dallas bats were too good in game two, pounding out 17 hits including a big five runs sixth to pull away and win game two 11-3.
Kelly led the way, going 1-for-4 with the two runs on the homer while Schmidt was 1-for-3 with a double. Montgomery added a RBI while McCormack, Smith, and Debbs all had a hit.
Senior Will Preston (L, 1-1) got the start, going five complete and striking out seven while senior Tyler Polasek and freshman Blake Grider each pitched two out of the pen with Grider striking out three. Abraham Griesbauer (W, 2-2) earned the win for Dallas.
Southwestern moves to 7-10 overall and 1-4 in the SCAC. They will take on the Crusader in a very important rubber match tomorrow afternoon beginning at 1 PM.
Walk. Off. Winner. #HereWeGoBucs pic.twitter.com/YcPFsP4GXq
— Southwestern Pirates (@SUPirates) March 24, 2018
We caught up with the hero of game one, Byron Dowdell II, after his walk-off two run homer. #HereWeGoBucs pic.twitter.com/eFbeDTFwvD
— Southwestern Pirates (@SUPirates) March 24, 2018