Two weekends after sweeping the then 13th ranked team in the country, Trinity University, the Crusaders were swept by 15th ranked Chapman University Panthers in Orange, California. Despite the three game sweep, Dallas finishes the regular season with a 25-14 record, which is in fact a complete reversal of last season’s 14-25 record.
“The turnaround from last year to this year has been unbelievable going from a 14 win team to a 25 win team,” stated third baseman Trevor Allred. “All of the credit has to go to the whole team really buying into what the coaches have been teaching about strong pitching and defense all year.”
The Crusaders’ three game series in California began well as Dallas scored two runs in the top of the 1st inning in Saturday’s doubleheader. Leftfielder Devin Arnold reached base with a single and was brought home by a double from centerfielder Brian Shelburne who scored later in the inning. With two outs in the bottom of the 1st inning, the Panthers brought home two runs with a double, tying the game at 2-2.
From here the game continued in a back and forth manner as the Crusaders briefly held the lead in the top of the 3rd inning before the Panthers scored two runs to take a 4-3 lead. Michael Schweiss replaced Carkhuff in the top of the 4th inning, and dominated the Chapman lineup, allowing only three singles and no earned runs in his first three innings of work.
Dallas tied the game in the 5th inning on a solo shot from first baseman Andrew Bossert, his 4th home run of the season. The Crusaders gave Schweiss a 5-4 lead in the 6th inning as Shelburne’s RBI single brought home catcher Varea Costello. Only three outs away from victory over the 15th-ranked team in the country, Schweiss surrendered a leadoff home run to Adam Kordich, his 4th home run of the season. Schweiss stifled the Chapman offense for the more innings before Chapman scored the winning run on a two-out single in the 11th inning.
While Dallas had several chances to beat Chapman in first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Crusaders were thoroughly beaten in the second game. Chapman scored four runs off Dallas starter Michael Byers in the 2nd inning en route to a 10-1 victory. Byers bounced back from a rough 2nd inning, lasting five innings in the loss.
Joel Hansen pitched a scoreless 6th inning for Dallas before Chris Schierhorn threw the final two innings in which he surrendered two earned runs on only three hits. The Crusaders’ lone run came in the 5th inning when second baseman Mark Carlson singled in shortstop David Rettinger.
Sunday’s game proved to be much better than Game 2 as Dallas led Chapman for several innings before eventually falling 7-2. Allred put the Crusaders on the board with an RBI single in the 3rd inning before Ponce increased the Dallas lead to 2-0 with an RBI single of his own in the 4th inning.
Having lasted just three innings in his Game 1 start, Carkhuff was given the Game 3 start from head coach Fraser Holmes. Carkhuff repaid his coach with four scoreless innings before getting into trouble in the 5th inning. Dylan Myers, a left-handed pitcher, replaced Carkhuff in the 5th inning. Myers worked himself into troubled before ending the inning on a groundout.
Trailing only 3-2, the Crusaders were unable to push the tying run across. Myers ran into trouble in the 8th inning, giving up four runs before retiring the third out. Dallas failed to score in the 8th and 9th inning, ending their regular season with a 7-2 loss in a game closer than the score indicated.
Dallas still has an outside chance at receiving an NCAA Tournament bid and thus the team will continue to practice for the next two weeks. As far as next season goes, Dallas will lose seniors Carkhuff, Ponce, Rettinger and Luke Kersting. “Although we are definitely going to miss the seniors I think everyone has high expectations for next year with the guys we have coming back,” said Allred, who will be a big part of Dallas’ team next season. Sophomore James Kerin reiterated Allred’s words about the difference from last season to this season. “We improved so much from last year to this year; it was an unbelievable transformation,” said Kerin. “I’m excited for the team next year.”
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