DALLAS – The Sam Houston bats went cold on a chilly Friday afternoon as Dallas Baptist secured a 2-0 win at Horner Ballpark in series opener.
The Kats (4-2) out-hit the Patriots (2-3) by a 6-3 margin, but were just 1-for-12 with runners on base in a game that was played in temperatures in the mid 30s, spoiling an otherwise solid showing from pitchers
Matt Dillard and
Matt Rudis.
Sam Houston left eight runners on base on the day, but five came in the first three innings against DBU starter Luke Eldred, who threw 6.0 innings for his first win of the season, striking out four and issuing just one walk before handing it over to freshman right-hander Ryan Johnson. He tossed the final 3.0 innings for the save, striking out three along the way.
Dillard, meanwhile, was saddled with the loss despite allowing just two runs on three hits in his 6.0 innings of work, striking out four batters in the first three frames. Rudis entered and threw the seventh and eighth innings, striking out one and retiring all six hitters he faced.
Dillard faced just one hitter over the minimum through the first three frames, but was not able to keep DBU off the board as they took advantage of a leadoff double by Cole Moore in the second and eventually brought him home on a sacrifice fly by George Specht for a 1-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Patriot starter Luke Eldred was able to strand five Beaarkats on the bases in the opening three frames, including two apiece in the first and third innings.
DBU added another run on a sacrifice fly from Miguel Santos in the fourth and threatened for more with the bases loaded before Dillard worked his way out of it with a double play ball. The Patriots left the bases loaded again in the fifth and stranded a runner at third after a nice play in the outfield by
Lane Brewster ended the sixth, keeping it at a 2-0 score.
The Kats' bats went quiet in the meantime, getting just a single from
Clayton Chadwick in that 3-inning span before a 1-out single by
Walker Janek in the top of the seventh. Chadwick and
Easton Loyd got singles in the final two frames, but the Kats were unable to do anything with them.
Justin Wishkoski joined Chadwick with a 2-hit game, getting a single and double in his first two plate appearances.
The teams will continue the series on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. from Horner Ballpark in a game set to be aired on DBUPatriots.com
