Suns Tame No. 14 Thunderducks, 20-9
LANCASTER, Texas – Make it two Top 15 Wednesday wins.
Dallas College Cedar Valley's baseball team rocked National Junior College Athletic Association Division III 14th-ranked Dallas College Richland, 20-9 in seven innings, to open a three-game series Wednesday. It was the second Wednesday this month the Suns knocked off a Top 15 team, having beaten No. 1 Dallas College Eastfield at home two weeks earlier.
The Suns' 20 runs matched a season high, which came in both games of the season-opening doubleheader Feb. 10 at Dallas Christian College.
Cedar Valley (17-8, 6-4 Dallas Athletic Conference) raced out to a 10-3 lead after two innings, scoring six runs in the first inning to set the tone. The Suns scored six more in the fifth before Richland (17-14, 7-3) put up five runs of its own in the top of the sixth. But the Suns followed up their six spot with four more in their next at-bat to cement the run-rule victory. Cedar Valley scored four runs in the second after putting six on the board in its first at-bat.
Blaine Thomas went 4-for-4 with three doubles after returning from an 11-game layoff. Caden Robertson was 2-for-3 with a home run, five runs batted in and two walks. Matthew Marsic was 2-for-2 with a double, four RBI and a sacrifice fly. Daniel Brandon III was 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI. Jayden Ramos collected two hits and four RBI in four plate appearances. Elian Gonzales was 2-for-4.
Cedar Valley outhit Richland, 16-12.
Logan Smith went 4-for-4, while Jordan Owns and Nick Chalman each had two hits for the Thunderducks.
Suns starter Caleb Pacheco (6-1) pitched five innings, allowing seven hits, four runs, three of which were earned, and a walk in the win. Jeremiah Darrough worked the last inning and two thirds, not allowing a base runner, and fanning five to preserve the victory.
The series was scheduled to shift to Richland Friday and Saturday at noon, weather permitting.