LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Thanks to its 2-1 series win over Austin College, the Dallas Crusaders remain in sole possession of third place in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference standings at 8-6.
AROUND THE SCAC
Austin College (8-21, 6-8 SCAC) went 0-2 last
week in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play. The Kangaroos
dropped a 3-1 decision to Dallas on Saturday before coming up short
in a 13-10 slugfest on Sunday. Austin College returns to action
March 26 when the Kangaroos travel to Howard Payne for a
double-header before resuming SCAC play on March 29-30 when
Southwestern pays a visit to Sherman.
Centenary posted a 3-2 record on the week, closing out
with two, seven-inning wins over Southwestern. Craig Littleman and
Matt Creamer led the Gents at the dish with both hitting .476 on
the week. The duo also combined for 20 hits - 10 each - and 18 RBI
- nine each. Littleman led the way with three doubles while Creamer
paced the squad with nine runs scored. Cole Thompson and Layton
Tromba led the Maroon and White with wins on the weekend while
Holden Novak logged the lone midweek victory on the mound. Thompson
tossed a complete-game, seven-inning decision to move to 3-0 on the
campaign. The hurler allowed just one earned run in a 14-2 win.
Tromba pitched 5.1 innings and allowed four runs - one earned - in
his action. Novak fanned a team-best six batters in his seven
innings on the bump and surrendered just two runs - one earned - on
the week.
Dallas (13-15, 8-6 SCAC) has sole possession of third in
conference after a 2-1 week at home. Wednesday afternoon brought
Nebraska Wesleyan University to Irving, Texas. The Prairie Wolves
produced an eighth and ninth inning run to prevail 9-8 over the
Crusaders. Head coach Fraser Holmes' squad snapped a five-game skid
with two weekend wins (W, 3-1, W, 13-10) over Austin College.
Junior right-hander Andrew Bossert (4-2) surrendered just one run
over seven innings on Saturday to become the winning pitcher of
record. Sophomore righty Martin Cronin allowed just one hit in the
game's final two innings to secure his second save of the season.
Freshman right-hander Joshua Crapps (4-1) pitched Dallas to victory
on Sunday. Crapps gave up two runs in five innings on the dish.
Sophomore first baseman Trevor Keele hit a home run in the win,
placing him second in conference with four on the season. On the
slate this week for Dallas are three games -- @ University of
Texas-Tyler (Tuesday, 7 p.m. 1x9) & Dallas Christian. The
Dallas Christian doubleheader will be played at neutral site Craig
Ranch in McKinney, Texas.
Southwestern went 0-3 this week playing a midweek
non-conference game against Texas Lutheran (L 8-7 in 10) before
dropping two games to Centenary in a weekend SCAC series (L 24-10
on Saturday, L 14-2 on Sunday). The Pirates are now 2-26 overall
and 0-14 in SCAC play. Southwestern returns to action on March 29
when the Pirates host conference foe Austin College in a two-game
series over the weekend.
No. 3 Trinity went 4-1 over the past week, taking three of
four games against Rockford (Ill.) over the weekend, and defeating
Mary Hardin-Baylor on Tuesday. The Tigers had won eight consecutive
games heading into the weekend series finale against Rockford, but
the Regents avoided the sweep with a 5-0 win, breaking up
Trinity’s streak. It is the second win streak of eight or
more games this season for the Tigers, who have still won 17 of
their last 20. Trinity also sweeps the regular season series with
UMHB with the 5-2 win this week. The Tigers also beat the Crusaders
12-6 (10 innings) earlier this year in Belton, Texas. This
week, the Tigers continue their nine-game home stand with games
against Concordia (Texas) and Centenary. Trinity hosts Concordia on
Tuesday night, followed by a two-game series against Centenary on
Thursday and Friday. Earlier this season, Centenary took two out of
three games in Shreveport, La., from the Tigers.
For the complete SCAC Baseball Diamond Weekly for
Week 8, click here.
