Suns Escape Battle with North Arkansas in South Central District Tournament
MESQUITE, Texas – Dallas College Cedar Valley held off a pesky North Arkansas College baseball team, 8-7, in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III South Central District Tournament at Dallas College Eastfield Thursday.
The win established a new program record for the Suns, who advanced to Friday's 1 p.m. semifinal round. Cedar Valley (38-20) broke the school record of 37 victories, first set in 2017.
The Suns, who lost to Dallas College Richland, 14-3, earlier in the day, will play the loser of Friday's 10 a.m. Dallas College Eastfield-Richland game in the elimination semifinal round.
Against North Arkansas, Cedar Valley got out to a 6-3 lead in the third inning. Daniel Brandon III blasted a two-run home run to trigger the Suns' surge. The Pioneers (37-14) scored twice in the top of the fourth to draw within 6-5 before the Suns picked up one in the bottom half of the inning.
Cedar Valley extended its lead to 8-5 in the sixth. North Arkansas cut the deficit to one run again, scoring twice in the eighth. But Suns reliever Jeremiah Darrough didn't concede the tying run with the Pioneers threatening in the ninth, and Cedar Valley lived to see another day.
Blaine Thomas, who homered in the loss to Richland, went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a walk in the win over the Pioneers. Brandon III was 2-for-4 with the homer and two RBI. Jayden Ramos homered, and drove in three runs. Antonio Sabala tripled, had a sacrifice bunt, and scored a run in four at-bats. Caden Robertson, Ryan Talley, Matthew Marsic and Cooper Brewer each had one hit.
Darrough (5-1) got the win after taking over for Thomas in the fourth inning. Darrough worked the final six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk. He had six strikeouts. Thomas allowed three runs, two of which were earned, and gave up four hits and two walks.
