Crusaders sweep #13 Trinity in thrilling home series

This weekend in Crusader baseball began with a Senior Day ceremony, honoring five seniors who have dedicated much of the last four years to the University of Dallas, both athletically and academically. The honored seniors placed an exclamation point on their collegiate baseball careers with a two game sweep of #13 Trinity University in their last games at Crusader Field in Irving, Texas.

Seniors Phil Carkhuff, Luke Kersting, Martin Lopez, Delano Ponce, and David Rettinger were all honored before starting pitcher Carkhuff threw the first pitch of the game on Saturday afternoon. Ponce started behind the plate while Rettinger started his 35^th game of the season at shortstop. With an overflowing grandstand of fans behind the protective screen, Carkhuff got off to a great start, throwing an 8-pitch first inning which he ended with a strikeout looking.

The Crusaders lead off the bottom of the first inning with back to back walks from leftfielder Devin Arnold and centerfielder Brian Shelburne. Third baseman Trevor Allred then reached on a fielder’s choice. With bases loaded and no outs, the Crusaders looked poised to strike early. After consecutive infield pop outs, however, it looked as though Dallas would strand three baserunners. Rettinger made sure that this would not happen as he stroked as single up the middle to bring in two runs. “Dave’s hit was huge,” said Carkhuff. “To be able to pitch with a lead against a team like (Trinity) allowed me to feel free to attack the strike zone and fire on all cylinders.”

And Carkhuff certainly did this as he held Trinity scoreless until the top of the seventh inning. In his 7+ innings of work, Carkhuff allowed only three hits as he walked three batters and struck out three batters. Carkhuff earned the win, his 7^th of the season, as three runs were charged to him on the day. “It was the most fun I’ve had on the mound all season,” said Carkhuff, who was quick to point out his defense’s effort on Senior Day. “If Trinity put the ball in play, I knew the guys behind me were going to lay it all on the line.” Among the best of the defensive plays on Saturday were rightfielder Adam Farris’ two incredible diving catches.

Junior Michael Schweiss relieved Carkhuff in the top of the 8^th inning with men on first and second base and no outs. Schweiss “made his pitches” but surrendered two tough hits which allowed three runs to score in the eighth inning. Schweiss closed out the inning as he induced a fly out to centerfield, maintaining the Crusaders narrow 5-4 margin. Dallas was unable to push across an insurance run for Schweiss in the bottom of the eighth inning, but a one run lead proved to be enough for Schweiss who earned his 4^th save of the season.

Coach Fraser Holmes sent junior Michael Byers to the mound on Sunday afternoon, hoping that he would imitate Carkhuff’s solid start on Saturday afternoon. Byers was nothing but brilliant in his start as he shut out the powerful Trinity offense for seven innings, striking out two batters and allowing only five hits and one walk. “I’ve never had an opportunity to pitch with the stakes that high and against such a good team,” said Byers after the game. “I’m not sure I’ve ever been zoned in like that…I wanted to win so badly.”

Byers left the Crusaders in a great position to do just that. When Byers was replaced by Schweiss to start the 8^th inning, Dallas lead Trinity 2-0. The Crusaders first run came when first baseman Andrew Bossert crushed a solo home run into a strong wind to left field. Dallas added another run in the 6^th inning on an RBI single from Shelburne.

Schweiss worked himself into trouble in the 8^th inning, giving up two runs before escaping the inning by inducing a groundout to Allred ended the inning by stepping on third base for the force play. The Dallas offense failed to knock in the go ahead and the game headed to extra innings. In the top of the 10^th inning with baserunners on first and third base, Ponce committed an error on an errant throw to third base which allowed the base runner to score, giving the Tigers a 3-2, their first lead of the series.

After Rettinger reached on an error and Farris singled, Ponce was quickly given a chance to redeem himself. Ponce did exactly that as he crushed a ball to the left-center gap for the game-tying RBI single. With the potential game winning run on third base, third base coach Kyle Kilgo wasted no time to secure the win. Kilgo signaled for Carlson to drop down a safety bunt. Carlson laid a perfect bunt down the first baseline and Farris raced home for as the winning run. Farris touched home and was immediately mobbed by his ecstatic teammates. The lively Crusader fans clapped and cheered in approval of their team’s outstanding effort. The past weekend certainly was a great chapter in the four years of the seniors’ careers and in the history of Crusader Baseball.

After the series Carkhuff spoke about the turnout on Saturday’s Senior Day crowd. “I couldn't believe my eyes. I can't tell you how much it meant to me, as a senior, to see that many people turn out for a baseball game.” Carkhuff certainly speaks for all of the graduating seniors and for the team as a whole. While the senior class has been through good and bad seasons, they certainly picked the right way to go out: two hard-fought victories in front of a full grandstand.