Box Score Millington, Tennessee - The Trinity Tiger
baseball team outlasted DePauw University in a 3-1 pitcher's duel
to win the 2010 SCAC Championship on Sunday afternoon at USA
Baseball Stadium.
Trinity (32-7) trailed for much of the game after DePauw opened
up the scoring with a run in the first inning.
DePauw's Elliott Ross and Trinity's Ryan Lucero both posted
amazing pitching performances in the game. Ross, the SCAC
Pitcher of the Year, threw 5.1 shutout innings before Trinity's
Jonathan Hall hit a solo blast to left field to tie the game.
Lucero improved to 5-1 on the year, giving up one run on nine
hits through eight innings of work, striking out seven batters.
After throwing a complete game shutout yesterday, Ben
Klimesh returned to action and earned the save by pitching the
final inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, Ross - who fell to 8-2 on the year
- ran into trouble for the first time in the game. He got the
first hitter out, but then gave up a walk and a single to bring up
Hall at the top of the order. Hall responded with his second
RBI of the game, cracking a single into left field. After
giving up another hit to load the bases, Ross came out of the game,
but Trinity was able to score an insurance run before the inning
ended.
Hall was 2-4 with one run and two RBI, while Chris Walden also
had a pair of hits. The Trinity Tiger offense was held to
just eight hits in the game, and despite a season-low three runs,
still pulled out a gritty win.
Trinity earns the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs
with the win, and will await official word for the regional
tournament. Bids will be announced just prior to regionals,
which will take place May 19-23. Unless the team is moved out
of the West Region, Trinity will play at Linfield College, as
announced earlier this year by the NCAA.