GEORGETOWN - The Southwestern University baseball team erupted for 17-runs behind a multitude of huge games at the plate as they won their first SCAC series of the season, defeating Dallas in the rubber match 17-3 (7) on Sunday afternoon at Rockwell Field.
The Pirates took advantage of the Dallas pitching, who struggled to find the plate all afternoon, eventually surrendering 10 total walks along with six hit by pitches. On top of that, numerous Pirate hitters had huge games.
Southwestern got it rolling in the first as Crusader started Zach Taylor loaded the bases on walks and junior Cole Kelly drew the fourth walk in the inning as they Pirates took a 1-0 lead despite no hits.
Freshman Austin Smith was dealing in the early going, striking five of the first six batters out including striking out the side in the first.
In the third, sophomore Byron Dowdell II led off with a double followed by a walk to Cole one batter later. Smith aided his own cause as he tripled to right center, scoring Dowdell and Cole to make it 3-0. Moments later, freshman R.J. Senining stepped into the box and laced a single up the middle to increase the lead to 4-0.
Dallas took advantage of some Smith walks in the fourth and cut into the deficit with a three run inning to make it a 4-3 game.
However, Southwestern was back in control as a pair of Pirates reached on a walk followed by a two RBI double from Dowdell to move back ahead 6-3. Kelly followed that up with a single down the right field and the Pirates rebuilt their four run lead at 7-3.
The Pirates blew things up in the fifth inning, sending 16 batters to the plate and scoring 10 runs in the inning to blow the game wide open.
Senining began the inning with a double and back-to-back walks loaded the bases. Senior Jason McCormack drove a run in on a walk while freshamn Seth Sparks was hit by a pitch to drive another in. Dowdell then stepped to the plate and singled through the right side, scoring two, and pushing the lead to 11-3.
Smith followed with a RBI single through the left side while Senining continued his incredible day, batting for the second time this inning, as he singled up the middle to make it 15-3. Sparks came back around in the lineup and added a two RBI single through the right side and the Pirates led 17-3.
Freshman Ruben Garcia took the bump for Smith and finished things off, going two innings and allowing only two hits. Smith (W, 2-0) we five complete, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out seven.
Dowdell finished 3-for-3 with two doubles and four RBIs along with two runs scored while Senining had a career-day, going 4-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs, and two runs scored. Smith was 2-for-4 at the plate including a triple, three RBIs, and two runs scored while Sparks was 1-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored.
Sophomore Daniel Montgomery Jr. did not record an official at bat as he walked four times to go with two runs scored while Kelly was 1-for-1 with two walks, two RBIs, and two runs. McCormack scored three times while freshman Hayden Craig was 1-for-1.
Southwestern moves to 8-10 overall and 2-4 in SCAC play. They return to action on Tuesday as they go north to Richardson, Texas to take on Texas-Dallas beginning at 3 PM.