San Antonio – The Trinity Tigers baseball
team swept a three-game non-conference series with the University
of Dallas Crusaders by taking a doubleheader Sunday at E.M. Stevens
Field.
Trinity (18-5) won Sunday's first game 7-1, and was a 13-7
winner in the second. The Tigers beat the Crusaders 14-9 in
Saturday's opening game.
The Tigers have now won four games in a row, and 10 of the last
11.
Trinity took a 7-0 lead after six innings in the first game, a
scheduled seven-inning contest. A highlight came in the sixth
inning, as junior designated hitter Kyle Felix smacked his sixth
home run of the season, a three-run shot in the sixth inning.
Felix, from Woodside, Calif., (Bellarmine College Prep), registered
his 23rd career home run, placing him in a tie for fifth all-time
on the Tigers' list. He batted 2-3 with three RBIs, and
scored one run.
Junior right-hander Michael Panozzo of Houston (Clear Lake) was
the starter, and picked up the victory. Panozzo (5-2), the first of
three Tiger pitchers, hurled six innings, and did not allow a run.
He yielded only two hits and one walk. Dallas scored one earned
run, off three hits, committed three errors, and left three players
on base. Trinity scored four earned runs, collected eight hits,
made two errors, and left eight runners on base.
The nine-inning second game started with the Tigers producing
four runs in the first inning. Sophomore outfielder Nick Pappas hit
a three-run homer to right center field, his fifth of the season.
Pappas, from Los Angeles (Loyola), batted 2-5 with three RBIs, and
two runs.
Trinity led 7-1 after a three-run fourth inning. The inning
began with a triple by first-year third baseman Kevin Francke. He
swatted a two-run homer in the seventh, his first of the campaign.
Francke, from Yorba Linda, Calif. (Mater Dei), went 2-4 with two
RBIs and two runs.
The Crusaders inched forward in the game by scoring six more
runs in the final five innings. But the Tigers answered with six of
their own, staying comfortably in the lead.
Senior designated hitter Chris Walden of Phoenix (Brophy College
Prep), batted 3-4 with an RBI, two runs, and a triple.
Sophomore right-hander Josh Fink of Coronado, Calif. (Coronado),
started the game and pitched for 5 1/3 innings. Fink (1-0), who
took the win, allowed three earned runs, six hits, and three walks.
The five Trinity pitchers allowed six earned runs and 11 hits.
Dallas, which made two errors and stranded nine runners, gave up
10 earned runs on 14 hits. The Tigers committed two errors and left
seven players on base.
Trinity travels to Abilene, Texas, Tuesday for non-conference
game with McMurry (noon) and Hardin-Simmons (4:30 p.m.).
The Tigers return home Saturday, March 27, for a SCAC
doubleheader with defending champion Hendrix. The two teams play a
single game Sunday, March 28. Hendrix, which beat Trinity in last
year's SCAC Championship game, captured two games from the
Tigers Feb. 27-28 at Conway, Ark.
The Tigers stand at 7-3 in SCAC play.
