Baseball Uses Big Second Inning to Defeat Dallas

Baseball Uses Big Second Inning to Defeat Dallas

IRVING, Texas – The Southwestern University Pirates put together a seven-run second inning and held on late to defeat the University of Dallas 12-8 in a game that spanned two days due to darkness.

Southwestern struck first in the top of the second on a one-out RBI-single to right center from Seth Sparks after Bryce Debbs reached on an infield single and Ethan Hallmark drew a walk. Chase Thinger followed with a walk and Hayden Craig reached on a fielding error, scoring Hallmark.

Daniel Montgomery Jr. kept the momentum going with a RBI-single through the left side, scoring Sparks and Cole Kelly did the exact same thing, scoring Thinger.

Byron Dowdell II blasted at two-RBI double to left center and Colby Schmidt grounded out to shortstop, scoring Kelly to take a 7-0 lead.

Dallas responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring a single run when Jordan Stickler's fielder's choice to shortstop scored Joseph Griesbauer, who reached on a single to centerfield.

The Pirates reclaimed the run in the top of the fourth on a RBI-double to leftfield from Dowdell, scoring Craig, who led the inning off with a walk.

Dallas cut the Pirate lead in half in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of a starting pitcher Benjamin Ludwig losing control with a hit batter and two walks while also inducing a groundout and striking out another.

Nicholas Hovde hit a RBI-infield single, scoring Josh Abalos, and Nathan Patton scored on a wild pitch, ending Ludwig's afternoon. Trey Schwarz entered the game and walked Briesbuaer and Zachary Taylor, scoring Jessup Scott before getting out of the inning holding onto an 8-4 lead.

Southwestern responded with three runs of their own in the top of the sixth, scoring when Debbs' fly ball to right field was dropped with two on, scoring Dowdell. Hallmark walked to load the bases and Sparks reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Schmidt. Thinger followed out with a groundout to the pitcher that scored Debbs for an 11-6 lead.

Dallas scored two in the bottom of the inning, scoring on a Mark Peterson RBI-single through the left side and again when Hovde was hit by a pitch with bases loaded. The Pirates responded with a solo homerun from Cole Kelly in the top of the seventh.

The game was postponed due to darkness in the eighth and resumed today at noon. The Pirates went scoreless in the ninth and Dallas scored two in the bottom of the ninth, walking with bases loaded and getting a RBI-single from Jessup Scott before Hovde fouled out to first and Griesbauer struck out to end the game.

Ludwig started on the mound for the Pirates, going 4.2 innings and giving up four earned runs on five hits with five walks and two strikeouts. Luke Richards pitched 3.1 innings in relief, picking up the win while giving up two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four.

Dowdell led the Pirates offensively, hitting 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored.

Southwestern improved to 21-14 on the season and 8-6 in conference play.