Diamond Gents Score Pair in the Ninth to Knock off Dallas in SCAC Opener, 7-5

IRVING, Texas - The #20 Diamond Gents scored the first four runs of the contest and added a pair in the ninth after the Crusaders tied the game as Centenary (9-7, 1-0 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) won its Conference opener at Dallas (7-10, 0-1 SCAC) Friday afternoon, March 16.

Tied at five, senior Ian Graham and junior Cameron Guin led off the ninth with singles. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, an intentional walk loaded the bases. With a full count, freshman Tyler Erickson flew out deep enough to right to drive in the go-ahead run. Senior Nicholas Delaneuville followed with a single through the right side to score a run.

Senior Cole Lavergne (1-1) gave up a pair of singles to begin the ninth. A groundout moved both runners into scoring position, but a fly out and a ground out ended the game. Lavergne threw the final 2.2 innings of the game, allowing just four hits with a strikeout for his first win of the season.

Centenary jumped on the Crusaders with three runs in the first. After a leadoff walk, senior Chris Zapata hit a 1-1 pitch over the left center wall, his second home run of the season, to put the Gents up a pair. Sophomore Cody Crowder followed with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on an RBI groundout. The Gents took a 4-0 lead in the second when Delaneuville singled, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on Crowder's RBI single.

Up 4-2 in the fifth with one out, Crowder tripled and scored on Graham's single.

Crowder finished the game 4-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Graham and Guin both recorded a pair of base hits with a run scored. Graham added a pair of RBIs. Senior Kaleb Kirk started for the Gents, allowing 10 hits and five runs (four earned) with four strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work.

With Centenary up 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth, an error was followed by a home run from Dallas' Nathan Patton. Patton added a solo shot in the sixth to cut the lead to 5-3.

The Crusaders scored a pair in the seventh to tie the game. With one out and a runner at first, Patton singled to put runners on the corners. Jessup Scott followed with an RBI single through the left side to plate a run and move the tying run 90 feet away. Mark Peterson followed with a double to tie the game, but a ground out and strikeout ended the threat.

Patton finished the game 4-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs, while Scott and Peterson both went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Conrad Voss (3-3) took the loss in relief, allowing three hits and two runs in 1.1 innings pitched.

Centenary returns to action Saturday, March 17, with a double header against Dallas. First pitch is scheduled for noon.