Baseball Drops Heartbreaker in Home Finale

Photo by Joe Fusco | D3Photography.com
Photo by Joe Fusco | D3Photography.com

SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College baseball team rallied from a five run deficit but couldn't hold a late lead, falling 10-9 on a ninth inning home run by the University of Dallas on Monday night in the team's home finale. The 'Roos fall to 8-18 overall and 6-9 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play with the loss.

A first inning fielding error opened the door to a five run frame for Dallas, as the Crusaders managed to get all five runs with two outs. Hunter Berry belted a bases clearing double to highlight the inning for UD. Austin College got two runs back in the bottom half of the inning, with Gus Daniel singling home a run and then eventually coming home on a balk to cut it to a 5-2 game.

Thomas Oberg drew a walk with the bases loaded in the second to make it a 5-3 game, but a passed ball and a wild pitch brought home two more runs in the top of the third to push the margin to 7-3. Austin College would surge ahead in the bottom of the fourth, plating five runs in the frame to take an 8-3 lead.

Josh Coughennower got things started with a two run single, and Oberg scored on a wild pitch to bring the 'Roos to within a run. James Arguello put Austin College ahead with a two run triple to left center. The 'Roos would push the lead to 9-7 in the fifth on an RBI single by Coughennower.

In the top of the seventh the Crusaders would fight back to square things up, and that would remain the score until the ninth inning. With one out on the scoreboard, Luciano Villanueva blasted a solo home run to left field to put Dallas back on top 10-9. Austin College would load the bases with two outs in the bottom half of the inning, but the 'Roos were unable to bring any runs home in the team's final chance at the plate.

Coughennower finished 3-for-5 with three RBI to pace Austin College offensively, and Todd Takabuki added a 3-for-5 performance as well. Arguello finished 2-for-4 with two RBI. Trevor DeBord took the loss, surrendering one run on two hits in 0.1 innings of relief. Trevor Keele got the win for Dallas, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings in relief.

Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.