May 5, 2006

Final Stats

SEGUIN, Texas - Dalton Rucker tossed a complete-game four-hitter as Hardin-Simmons' baseball team defeated Mississippi College, 9-1, to advance in the American Southwest Conference Tournament at Katt-Isbell Field in Seguin.

Rucker was sharp throughout as eh allowed four hits and just one run to the top-hitting team in the conference. He struck out five and won his eighth straight start and improved to 8-3 on the year.

"Dalton was on top of his game and was able to relax with the big inning," said HSU head coach Steve Coleman. "We had some good at-bats and scored some runs with two outs and played pretty solid defense. That is the recipe we are looking for in tournament play."

The Cowboys gave Rucker all the run-support with seven two-out runs in the second inning. Danny Ruth doubled with two outs and after a strikeout, Taylor Lamar was hit by a pitch and freshman James Gage singled down the left field line, knocking in Ruth. Trevor Bunte followed with a bloop hit to right to score Lamar. Ryan Stepp and Blake Koch had back-to-back run-scoring singles and Tre' Sellari walked to load the bases. Brad Coleman cleared the basepaths with a three-run double to the gap in left center.

Rucker avoided trouble in the third when he walked the bases loaded with two outs, but struck out John Birdsong to end the inning. MC scored its only run in the fourth when Ben Lennard led off with a single and Marc Chisolm was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Jody Britt squirted a single to right to load the bases. Rucker then induced Wesley Radicioni to ground into a double play and a run scored on the play.

HSU scored the last two runs of the game in the fifth inning. The Cowboys loaded the bases with no outs when Ruth singled, Michael Simpson singled and Lamar reached on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt. Gage then singled to left to score Ruth and Simpson scored on a double-play groundout.

After that Rucker and MC reliever Carl Upton threw up nine straight zeroes on the board to close out the game. The Cowboys knocked out ASC East pitcher of the year Jonathan Russell after four-innings. He gave up eight hits and seven earned runs.

All nine Cowboys had a t least one hit in the 13-hit attack and eight of the nine batters scored at least one run. Coleman had three RBIs and Gage had a pair.

HSU improved to 28-15 on the year and Mississippi College fell to 29-15. HSU will play the winner of the Texas Lutheran/UT-Dallas game on Saturday at 1 p.m. The game can be heard on KAGT 90.5 FM

--- HSU Athletics ---