Park University's baseball program began the 2024 season with a four-game sweep of Dallas Christian on Friday and Saturday.

GAME 1 | Dallas Christian, 9-3 | Box Score

The top of the third was when the Pirates broke out against Dallas Christian, starting with an error by the Crusaders. Billy Rivera drove in the game's first run with a single to left field. The Pirates were in business and scored four runs on three hits and three errors.

Adam Stilts got the start and threw five innings with six strikeouts for the win. Michael Hoffman and Bryce Perdieu each pitched a scoreless inning behind the starter to close out the game. Both relievers did not allow a hit in their opening outing and Hoffman impressed with two strikeouts in his three batters faced.

The Pirates were led by the transfer outfielder from Ranger Community College Gilberto Torres. Torres was three-for-four with three RBI's.

GAME 2 | Dallas Christian, 7-3 | Box Score

The Crusaders got a lead after responding to Park's one run fourth inning with a three-run inning of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Park would score six runs in the next three consecutive innings for the win though.

With two outs in the top of the sixth, Park was down one run, but with two swings of the bat the Pirates took the lead off of a single by Rivera and a two-run blast by Ricardo Hernandez for the 4-3 lead.
The top of the seventh showcased more power by the Pirates with a lead-off double by the Miami Dade Community College transfer Edward Gonzalez. Daniel Maldonado brought him in with a single, which was followed up by a Rivera triple to score two more runs in the inning.

Bryan Aguirre started the game on the hill with 3.2 innings pitched followed by Jesse Scholtz and Mason Sipes in relief. Sipes would get the last out to stop the bleeding in the fourth inning and then went on two pitch two more scoreless innings. His defense turned a key double-play in the fifth inning, but then the junior, right-handed pitcher took matters into his own hands in the sixth by striking out the side. Sipes would earn the win, while Perdiue cleaned up the seventh.

GAME 3 | Dallas Christian, 13-0 | Box Score

Guillermo Gelpi began his 2024 season with a five inning shutout on only two hits and four strikeouts. Another newcomer, Alex Lozada struck out four batters in two innings to keep the shutout win alive.

Park would lead by two runs going into the fifth inning, at which point the Pirates turned it up with four runs on two hits, three walks, one hit batter, and one error. After a run scored on a bases-loaded walk, Victor Sanchez-Ramos announced himself in this Pirates' lineup with a two-run double to deep center field.

A 6-0 lead would have done the trick, but Park decided to score seven runs in the seventh for good measure. Five players had multiple-RBI days, but Torres and Gonzalez drove in a team-leading three RBI's each.

GAME 4 | Dallas Christian, 15-0 | Box Score

Raul Garcia threw 4.1 innings for the shutout win, delivering six strikeout, zero walk performance. Seth Brecheen and Dash Goldston shut the door in relief and maintained the shutout, while only allowing one hit between the two of them.

The fourth inning and fifth inning was where the Pirates put up some numbers with four and seven-run innings, respectively.

That fourth inning was highlighted by a three-run home run by the Metropolitan Community College – Maple Woods transfer Dalton Short. Short had some pop in the bat with a three-for-four day with a team-leading six RBI performance. He would hit his second home run in the sixth inning for another two RBI's, as the Pirates moved through the Crusaders in game four 15-0 on nine hits.

Dallas Christian did little to help themselves defensively in the series with 14 errors in four games.  

The Pirates had three games with double-figure hits. Torres led the lineup with nine RBI's in four games, while Short and Rivera each contributed six RBI's for the series.

As a staff, the Pirates had 33 strike outs to only 11 walks. Three times the number of strikeouts to walks is a great ratio to begin the year.

Park looks to continue the success in their home opener on Saturday and Sunday in a four game series with Viterbo Univeristy (Wisc.). Saturday begins at 12pm on Comfort Field, while Sunday will be played at 11:30am.