SAN ANTONIO - Top-ranked Trinity University Baseball survived a late, prolonged comeback bid to score an 8-6 victory in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference competition over Schreiner University at the Trinity Baseball Field Friday night.

The Tigers (18-1, 7-0 SCAC) exploded for their eight runs between the third and fifth innings, powered heavily by sophomore leftfielder Brian Schaub's (Hatfield, Pa. / LeSalle) third-inning two-run homer and fifth-inning two-RBI double.

First-year right-hander Harrison Durow (Dallas, Texas / Lovejoy) received the start for Trinity though was replaced due to injury prior to finishing the fifth inning, leaving the door open for fellow first-year reliever Ethan Clark (Cypress, Texas / Cy Fair) to pick up his second victory of the season on just-over two innings of work.

Senior closer Matthew Thomas (Scottsdale, Ariz. / Horizon) collected his team-high fourth save of the season as he slammed the door on the Mountaineers' rally in the ninth.

No. 1 Trinity University Baseball hosts Schreiner for the remainder of the three-game SCAC series with a doubleheader Saturday afternoon, starting at 1 p.m.

The Rundown

The Mountaineers struck first in Firday night's SCAC affair, on just the fifth pitch of Durow's start as Schreiner's second baseman Chance Goins sent a flyball over the leftfield fence. This would be Durow's only run allowed in his 4.1 innings-pitched, and the only run for the visitors through the first six frames.

First-year shortstop Jack Baker (Sugar Land, Texas / Ridge Point) put the Tigers on top in the fourth with a two-RBI knock over the third baseman's head into left field, scoring senior designated hitter Michael Goodrich (Gilbert, Ariz. / Basha) and junior first baseman Jack Vonderhaar (Woodinville, Wash. / Redmond). Schaub came to the plate just two batters later to thrust a rainbow-shot over the leftfield fence for the first pair of his RBI.

Trinity added another quartet to the scoreboard between the next two innings. With junior second baseman Jack Wisniewski (San Antonio, Texas / Antonian) sitting on second base, senior centerfielder Mason Meredith (Houston, Texas / Memorial) laid down a sacrifice bunt and used his baserunning prowess to force a throwing error which scored Wisniewski for the fourth inning's lone tally.

Schaub returned to the plate in the fifth inning to grab his second pair of RBI with a double off the wall in the right-centerfield gap to score Baker and sophomore third baseman MJ Metz (San Diego, Calif. / Canyon Crest). Wisniewski capped the Trinity offensive output, scoring Schaub on a base-hit into shallow centerfield.

After exiting due to a line drive to the mound, Durow was replaced by senior reliever Carter Fronk (Missouri City, Texas / Ridge Point) who had pitched cleanly through the sixth, until the Schreiner bats managed to land four runs in the seventh.

Clark entered to douse the flames in the seventh and righted the Tigers' ship into the ninth before allowing one unearned run, prompting Thomas to collect his fourth save of the season on a game-ending strikeout.

Notable Numbers

Schaub extended his team-lead with his seventh homer of the season thus far. Vonderhaar remains just behind the sophomore transfer with five longballs though the junior remains in-front of the RBI race with 30 to Wisniewski's 25 and Schaub's 24.

Wisniewski leads with a .403 batting average, followed closely by senior rightfielder Rafe Chaumette (Sugar Land, Texas / Clement) at .392.

Schaub maintains a significant margin in on-base percentage, which sits at a staggering .602 rate through 19 games, a percentage that features a whopping 27 free passes this season.

Up Next

No. 1 Trinity Baseball wraps up its SCAC series with Schreiner Saturday with a 1 p.m. double-dip.

The Tigers then hit the road for a one-off visit to Concordia University (TX) Tuesday before their second road SCAC series at University of Dallas next weekend.