SCAC Baseball Recap - Week 8

SCAC Baseball Recap - Week 8

Complete Release

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball schedule enters its final month of regular-season competition following a busy week of conference action. 

No. 5 Texas Lutheran (18-7, 4-2) went 3-1 last week, falling only to Dallas in its final game of the week. Sophomore outfielder Cullen Motsinger posted a .538 slugging percentage and a .526 on base percentage with five runs scored, five RBI and four hits. Freshman shortstop Joe Jimenez slugged .538 while scoring five runs and driving in three. On the mound in the series opener, senior right-hander Dylan Murrell struck out four while allowing no earned runs in a complete game for the Bulldogs.

In the 12-inning, 4-3 win over TLU, the Dallas (13-13, 2-7) offense was led by senior designated hitter Jessup Scott who knocked in three RBI, including the eventual game-winner, adding two hits and a run from the plate. Senior Jordan Stickler and sophomores Joseph Vondrachek and Maxamillion Costello each scored a run in the contest. Sophomore left-hander Andrew Magness struck out eight while allowing three earned runs through nine innings of work. Classmate Jamie Wallace picked up the win, allowing no earned runs and recording three strikeouts in three innings of relief.

No. 3 Trinity (19-7, 6-3) dropped a pair of decisions at the beginning of the week to Chicago and Centenary but bounced back to split the week with wins over the Gents in Saturday's double-header. Junior outfielders Mason Meredith and Rafe Chaumette contributed significantly over the four-game stretch for the Tigers. Meredith batted .467 (7-for-15) while slugging .667 with five RBI, including a home run, and four runs scored while Chaumette went 6-for-13 at the plate (.462 BA), posting a .632 on base percentage and driving in six runs. Senior RHP Jeff Lonnecker tallied five strikeouts to earn the one-hit shutout over Dallas in game one of the double-header on Saturday. 

Centenary (13-16-1, 5-4) finished the week 1-4, falling to LeTourneau and Millsaps before entering conference play over the weekend. In the series opening win over Trinity on Friday, sophomore Tyler Welch batted .667 (2-for-3) while generating two runs and two RBI. Freshman infielder Brandon Griffin went a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate, driving in two runs and scoring one of his own while senior outfielder Cameron Guin contributed a pair of runs and an RBI for the Gents. Through six innings of relief on the mound, sophomore Connor Cudd snatched the win, striking out four while allowing two earned runs in the lone victory of the week for Centenary.

Austin College (7-14, 3-6) dropped a pair of games with Howard Payne on Tuesday but went on to take the three-game weekend series with Schreiner, 2-1.The Roos' set a program record in game two of the series with the Mountaineers, scoring 26 runs in a shut-out effort. Junior outfielder James Wyche led the way for AC, going 11-for-21 at the dish (.524 BA), including multi-hit performances in all five games, while scoring five runs and adding an RBI. Freshman infielder Jake Webster went 8-for-17 (.471 BA) with five RBI and four runs scored. Junior catcher Cody Goggins slugged .600 and batted .400 (6-for15), collecting 10 RBI, including a career-best six in the 26-0 win over Schreiner, and five runs scored. On the mound, freshman RHP Cody Johnson earned the win in game two of the series with Schreiner, striking out three while allowing no earned runs through five innings of work. 

Schreiner (10-17, 3-3), in its win over Austin College, was paced by senior outfielder Austin Contreras who went 4-for-6 (.667 BA) with three RBI and two runs scored. Senior outfielder Ben Benavides and freshman infielder Chance Goins each turned in 2-for-4 performances with Benavides scoring three runs and driving in an RBI and Goins knocking in two runs and scoring one of his own. Left-handed sophomore Garrett Whitley collected the win after pitching 5.2 innings with six strikeouts and allowing five earned runs.

In non-conference action, Southwestern went on a four-game road trip where it went 2-2 with wins over Hardin-Simmons and East Texas Baptist. The Pirates were led by senior infielder Cole Kelly who slugged 1.059 while going 7-for-17 at the plate (.412 BA) with seven RBI, five runs scored and five extra base hits, including homers in each game against ETBU. Junior outfielder Byron Dowdell II drove in six runs while posting a .500 on base percentage and senior outfielder Ethan Hallmark slugged .615 with three RBI and a home run. Against ETBU, sophomore Austin Smith tossed a complete game shut-out, recording 10 strikeouts through seven innings in the series opener.

The SCAC baseball schedule continues on Tuesday when Trinity hosts Hardin-Simmons, Southwestern welcomes Howard Payne and Texas Lutheran takes on No. 16 Concordia (Tex.).

This Week's Results:

Date Away Home Status Links
March
Tue. 26 Wis.-Eau Claire 8 Schreiner 1 Final
Wed. 27 Wis.-Eau Claire 2 Southwestern (Tex.) 7 Final
Thu. 28 Wis.-Eau Claire 0 Trinity (Tex.) 9 Final
Fri. 29 Schreiner 6 Hardin-Simmons 3 Final
  Dallas Baptist 9 Texas Lutheran 0 Final
  Southwestern (Tex.) 0 Trinity (Tex.) 9 Final
Sat. 30 Hastings 2 Colorado College 7 Final
  Schreiner 2 McMurry 7 Final
  Tyler Junior College 7 Trinity (Tex.) 2 Final
Sun. 31 Ozarks (AR) 8 Centenary (La.) 1 Final
  Seward County Community College 5 Colorado College 0 Final