Thunderducks Use Dramatic Long Balls to Sweep Plainsmen

DALLAS – Dallas College Richland's baseball team used a pair of three-run homers in the bottom of the ninth inning to sweep a doubleheader from Frank Phillips College Saturday. Richland won 8-6 and 11-9 in the final two games of the four-game series.

The Thunderducks, ranked 14^th in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III preseason poll, took three of four games from the Plainsmen.

Trey Smith crushed a three-run shot to left-center, and Robby Lopez followed four batters later with another three-run homer to left on a 2-2 count to complete the doubleheader sweep Saturday.

The Thunderducks improved to 10-6. They won Game 1 in the series, 13-10, Friday. Frank Phillips, which prevailed in the second game of the weekend series, 25-23, fell to 4-9 – all of the Plainsmen's games on the road to begin the season.

In the series finale, Lopez was 2-for-4 with a double, home run, three runs batted in and a walk. Smith also went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and a walk. Jouseph Gelpi was 4-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and a stolen base. Hernan Zamora had two hits in five at-bats. Trace Chamblee had a hit in four plate appearances.

Devin Jennings got the win in relief, allowing two unearned runs on two hits and a walk, while striking out four.

In Saturday's first game, Richland scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-4 lead. The Thunderducks tacked on three more in the next inning to cushion the lead to four runs. The Plainsmen picked up two in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit in half, but closer Bron Farr shut the door to earn his first save.

Farr worked the final 1.2 innings, allowing three hits, no runs and a walk, and fanned two hitters. Starter Jacob Smoot (1-0) went 5.1 innings, allowing three hits, six runs, four earned, and four walks, and struck out five in the win.

Zamora was 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base. Connor Haelzle went 1-for-1 with a sacrifice fly RBI, a walk and two stolen bases. Gelpi was 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a walk. Smith had two sacrifice flies two drive in a pair. Nick Hockemeyer was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk. Lopez went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base. Chamblee drove in a run.

The Thunderducks outhit the Plainsmen, 8-6, in Game 3. Frank Phillips had 12 hits to Richland's 11 in the finale.

Richland will play at Murray State College 1 p.m. Monday before opening Dallas Athletic Conference play at home against Dallas College Mountain View noon Wednesday.