Dallas Baptist University Athletics

THE RUNDOWN
On a windy day in San Antonio, DBU (4-2) fell to UTSA (6-0) for the second time in a 12-8 affair at Roadrunner Field. Patient approaches from both squads elevated their respective run counts in less-than-ideal hitting conditions.
 
The Roadrunners opened the scoring in the first inning when Josh Arquette stepped to the plate with runners on first and second and one out. The third baseman drove an inside pitch from Jared Schaeffer into the left-center gap for the first tally of the day, pushing Drew Detlefsen from second to home and Lane Haworth from first to third. The next man up, Christian Hallmark, rolled a grounder to DBU second baseman Keaton Grady, who flipped the ball to shortstop Dylan Cupp for the force at second, but the Patriots were unable to complete the double play, allowing Hallmark to reach first for an RBI fielder's choice as Haworth crossed home.
 
DBU answered in the top of the second, leaning on patience in the box and timely execution to draw even. Chayton Krauss worked a full count into a leadoff walk to start the frame. After one out, Landon Underhill was hit by a pitch, and Mac Rose followed with another full-count walk to load the bases. With two gone, Cooper Neville delivered for the Patriots, placing a liner down the left-field line that scored Krauss and Underhill and knotted the totals at 2-2.
 
An inning later, UTSA responded in similar fashion. A Haworth single and a hit-by-pitch by Arquette put runners on first and second with no outs. The center fielder, Hallmark, attempted to move the runners via a bunt, but Schaeffer turned it into a fielder's choice, catching the lead runner at third and leaving runners on first and second with one away. Facing a 1-2 count, Jacob Silva then punched a grounder through the right side for a base hit to load the bases, but a misplay in right field by Ben Tryon allowed Arquette to take an additional 90 feet for the Roadrunners' third run.
 
With UTSA threatening again in the fourth, Liam Watt took over on the mound for DBU with runners on first and second with one out. Watt immediately recorded an out through a Haworth lineout snagged by a diving Neville at third, but back-to-back walks tacked on another run for the Roadrunners, making it a 4-2 ballgame.
 
Quiet since the second inning, the Patriots finally broke through in the seventh. With one out, Cooper Neville hustled out a chopper to first for an infield single. Grady followed by ripping a grounder down the left-field line for an RBI triple, trimming the deficit to one run and forcing a UTSA pitching change. Against Jake Qualia, the new reliever, Jake Bennett supplied a timely at-bat, rolling an RBI groundout to third to bring Grady home and square the game at 4-4.
 
Carrying the momentum from the seventh, DBU continued to apply pressure in the eighth. Ryan Martin sparked the inning with a leadoff single, and Landon Underhill followed by drawing a walk to bring Mac Rose to the plate. Playing to the situation, Rose placed a bunt to the third-base side of the mound. Qualia fielded the ball, but his throw sailed wide of first, allowing the Patriots to capitalize as Martin raced home for DBU's first lead of the weekend.
 
With Jude Hall coming on as a pinch runner at second and Underhill at third, the Patriots looked to stretch the margin. With a 2-2 count, Dylann Cupp singled up the middle to plate Underhill and move Hall to third. After Neville drew a base on balls, Grady lifted a ball to left field for a sacrifice fly that scored Hall and capped a three-run frame for DBU.
 
Held off the board since the fourth, the Roadrunners surged back in the penultimate inning. With the bases full, Jacob Silva singled to center, sending the runners station to station and cutting the deficit to two. UTSA tied the game in the next two plate appearances, thanks to a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch absorbed by Diego Diaz and a sacrifice fly courtesy of Nathan Johnson. The next four batters reached based, including an RBI walk by Caden Miller and a two-run single by Drew Detlefsen, and the Roadrunners regained the advantage, 10-7.
 
Ryan Martin provided a spark for DBU in the ninth with the game's lone home run, a solo shot to left field, but it proved to be the Patriots' last burst, as they lost to UTSA by two.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Ryan Martin and Cooper Neville each had a two-hit day. They went a combined four-for-eight with three runs and three RBI.
- Jake Bennett has recorded an RBI in five of six games this season. He leads the team with 10 RBI.
- UTSA improves to a program-best start 6-0.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
0 - Throwing two scoreless innings on Saturday, Liam Watt has surrendered zero runs in five innings of work.
4 - Ryan Martin and Cooper Neville extended their respective hitting streaks to five games.
7 - Patriot hitters drew seven walks opposite six strikeouts.
 
ON DECK
DBU and UTSA will complete their series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Roadrunner Field. Read Full Article