LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – All seven SCAC schools were in action this weekend as two teams have taken control of the top of the SCAC standings in Texas Lutheran and Centenary. Meanwhile, Austin College picked up some huge wins to remain in the hunt for the postseason while Trinity got back on track with a sweep.
Austin College
The 'Roos went 2-2 over the weekend, picking up a conference win over Schreiner University to move to 7-16 overall and 5-7 in SCAC play, remaining in contention for a spot in the SCAC tournament. After losses to East Texas Baptist on Tuesday, 10-3, and the opener of the Schreiner series, 5-3, the 'Roos rolled back to take the final two games on the series, 5-4 and 10-1. In the 5-4 win, Todd Takabuki scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory. Gus Daniel finished 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs while Chance Hatchel added a RBI in the contest. Mychael Parish finished with a complete game, allowing only one earned run on seven hits and striking out eight. In the rubber match, Blaine Tew went the distance, allowing one run on four hits and striking out eight in the win. Takabuki finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs while James Arguello added a 3-for-3 day with two RBIs. Thomas Oberg and Josh Coughennower were each 3-for-5 with a RBI and two runs scored. The 'Roos will head to Wilbuton, Okla. to take on the Ozarks in a neutral site game and will follow that up with their home finale in a three game series against the University of Dallas.
Centenary College
The Gents had a weekend away from confernece play, going 3-2 against a pair of ASC opponents to move to 17-12 on the season while remaining 10-2 in SCAC play. Things got rolling on Tuesday, as Centenary erased a 5-0 deficit to come from behind and defeat defending ASC champion, LeTourneau, 10-8. Kaleb Kirk picked up the win, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing only one earned run on five hits while striking out six. Aaron Quintanilla led the way offensively, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored while Ian Graham and Kody Carson each added 3-for-5 days with a RBI. On Friday, the Gents opened a four game series on the road against Louisiana College. After suffering an 8-7 loss, the Gents responded with an 11-3 victory. A complete game effort from Jake McFarland earned him his sixth with of the season, allowing two earned runs on four hits while striking out four. Dakota Brown was 3-for-5 with two runs scored while Chris Zapata and Carson each added monster homeruns. Zapata was a three run blast while Carson drove in two. The following day, the series moved to Shreveport, where the teams split again with the Gents winning 5-1, then falling 5-3. In the win, Kirk earned his second win of the week, going five innings and allowing no earned runs while striking out five. Cole Lavergne was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI while Quintanilla also added a pair of RBI. The Gents have picked up a home contest against LSU-Shreveport, scheduled for Tuesday, and will then hit the road for a three game series agianst the Southwestern Pirates.
University of Dallas
The Crusaders' struggles continued as they saw their losing streak move to 13 games after a loss to Texas-Dallas followed by a sweep to No. 22 Trinity. Dallas moves to 6-25 overall and 2-13 in SCAC play, officially eliminated from postseason play. In their weekday loss to the Comets, the offense exploded for nine runs on 11 hits thanks to a terrific outing from Anthony Armstrong, who finished 3-for-5 with a doubles, homerun, five RBIs, and two runs scored. Jake Pierce added a 2-for-5 day with two RBI while Hunter Berry also drove in a run. Luciano Villanueva scored three runs and added a stolen base in the contest. The offense struggled the rest of the week, only scoring one run in the next three games against the Tigers. The Crusaders got a great performance from Martin Cronin, Abraham Griesbauer, and Villanueva in the 5-0 loss in the finale, but it was not enough. Dallas will look to try and get things going this weekend, taking on LeTourneau on Tuesday followed by a three game series on the road against Austin College.
Schreiner University
The Mountaineers snapped an 11 game losing streak this past weekend, but could not take the series, dropping two out of three to Austin College. Schreiner is now 5-25 overall and 2-10 in SCAC play. Things got off to a great start as the Mountaineers opened the series with a 5-3 victory. The Mountaineers used a run to tie it in the eighth and two more runs in the ninth to get the victory as Charlie Stewart earned the victory, striking out two batters in the final inning of play. Jayme Kidder, who started the game, helped out his own cause as he went 1-for-4 with two RBIs while Brad Holmes and Kyle Romaguera each drove in a run. Sam Pistrui was terrific, going 3-for-4 on the day with two runs scored. Schreiner looked to win their first conference series of the season later that day, but fell in a close contest, 5-4, allowing the game winning run on a wild pitch. Romaguera finished 1-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored. The Mountaineers could not respond the following day in the rubber match, following 10-1 and dropping the series. Schreiner will head to Hobbs, NM on Wednesday to battle the University of Southwest, followed by a three game series against nationally ranked Trinity.
Southwestern University
The Pirates went 1-2 on the weekend, dropping two games to conference foe Texas Lutheran with a third game still to be finished later this week. Southwestern in now 15-15 overall and 6-5 in SCAC play. The Pirates opened things up with a wild 12-10 victory over Hardin-Simmons. Will Cates was terrific, going 3-for-4 with a double, triple, four RBI, and two runs scored. Jake Pawelek, Austyn Laird, and Jared Bogosian all had two hits and drove in a pair of runs while Robert Wehman finished 2-for-4 with a RBI and three runs scored. Gunner Vaught, one of six pitchers who saw action, earned the win while Riley Wayland, the SCAC saves leader, picked up his sixth save. Southwestern then hit the road for a three game series against Texas Lutheran, on the road, and would drop the first two games on Friday, 6-3 and 8-4. Clayton Sparks would drive in three runs in the second game. In the finale on Saturday, the Pirates held a 2-0 lead in the top of fifth before weather struck the Georgetown area and wiped out the rest of the weekend. That game will resume on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Seguin. Meanwhile, the Pirates will take on Howard Payne on Tuesday followed by a three game home series against the Centenary Gents.
#29/RV Texas Lutheran University
The Bulldogs entered the national ranks for the first time last week and proceeded to go 3-0 including two huge wins over conference foe, Southwestern. The Bulldogs are now 24-9 overall, winners of six straight, and 12-2 in SCAC play. The Bulldogs began the week with a wild 13-11 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor. Keaton Bohrmann had a monster game, going 2-for-6 with five RBIs, two homeruns, and two runs scored. Zach Jacobs, Austin Frick, and Tony Gennusa all drove in a pair of RBI as well. Dylan Drgac earned his third win of the season in the wild contest while Lincoln Baylor earned a save in three innings of work. The Bulldogs then opened up with a 6-3 win over Southwestern thanks to a complete game effort from Aaron Aleman and a 3-for-4, three RBI day from Matt King including a homerun. Justin Law added a 2-for-3 day with a homer and two RBIs. The Bulldogs then clinched the series with an 8-4 victory later that day. Thomas Harwell earned his sixth victory of the year while Drgac picked up a save. Baylor finished 2-for-3 with three RBI while Klaus Bohrmann was 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored. In the finale, the Bulldogs found themselves down 2-0 in the fifth before mother nature intervened and washed out the rest of the weekend. The two teams will resume the contest on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs will take a week off from SCAC play and return to action on Tuesday, April 21st against Mary Hardin-Baylor.
#15/22 Trinity University
The Tigers went 3-0 this past weekend, sweeping the University of Dallas on the road. Trinity moves to 22-9 overall and 7-5 in SCAC play. The Tigers opened up with an 11-1 (7) win as Drew Butler finished 4-for-5 with a double and five RBI while Jeremy Wolf added a 2-for-4 day with three RBI and a run scored. Connor Moore went 3-for-5 with three runs scored while Austin Singer and Beau Attyah each scored a pair of runs. Matt Tindall earned a complete game victory with seven K's. that would be the last run Trinity would allow as they won the next two games, 10-0 (7) and 5-0. In the second game, Ryan Gray earned the win in six innings pitched while Jeremy Wolf finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Six different Tigers drove in a run while Carter McEachren had the most hits with three. In the finale, Trent Rape was fantastic, striking out eight in seven innings of work, while Wolf was great again, driving in four runs with a run scored in the win. Trinity will have a non-conference contest against Our Lady of the Lake on Tuesday followed by a three game series against Schreiner University in conference play.