SAN ANTONIO – No. 5 Trinity University Baseball defeated Hardin-Simmons University, 7-4, Sunday afternoon to take the weekend's rubber match following Saturday's doubleheader split.
 
The Tigers (3-3) responded to a second-inning tally from the Cowboys (1-5) with the first of three runs scored by junior first baseman Kai Tinker (Simi Valley, Calif. / Grace Brethren) plated by first-year shortstop Khal Coney (Los Angeles, Calif. / Crossroads). Tinker returned to the plate in the third to push two more across with a base hit to right field for a 3-1 lead that lasted two innings.
 
The break way picked up in the sixth as the first run of Saturday's walk-off, sophomore third baseman Michael Lustina (Austin, Texas / Westlake), found the right-center gap for a double to drive in Tinker and sophomore designated hitter Brandon Nelson (Missouri City, Texas / Ridge Point). Lustina was later scored by a sacrifice fly by sophomore right fielder Trea Verver (Cedar Park, Texas / Cedar Park).
 
The eventual winning pitcher, sophomore right-hander Jackson Teer (San Antonio, Texas / Johnson), had cruised through six allowing the lone second-inning mark and just three hits and three walks to 10 strikeouts, including full sides in the first and four frames.
 
Things began to unravel in the seventh as Teer crossed over 100 pitches with three Cowboy hits and a second run. With Cowboys on the corners, the bullpen offered sophomore Clayton Jackson (Allen, Texas / Jesuit Prep) to slow the momentum to a 6-4 margin.
 
It was time for another Tinker score in the eighth. The junior took a six-pitch walk, deked a pick-off attempt to steal second, ventured to third on a one-strike drive through the right side from senior Tanner Haney (Waco, Texas / Waco)—who joined the action midway through, adjusting junior Jack Baker (Sugar Land, Texas / Ridge Point) from second to third base. Coney tallied his second RBI on a sac fly to right for Tinker's third round trip.
 
With an infield hit and a walk to start the ninth, junior Jonathan Newman (Pearland, Texas / Pearland) was called upon, up 7-4, to slam the door on Hardin-Simmons. While his three outs were a pair of infield popups and a strikeout, Newman's one-inning save was not without drama. The junior got himself a grounder to second for the final out and with the dugout beginning to unload, a late call determined Tinker off of first base on the throw from Haney, prolonging the inning with the bases loaded before Newman's true third out: a treacherous foul popup toward the still-unfamiliar bullpen fence on the home side collected by Baker.
 
Up Next
No. 5 Trinity Baseball welcomes the return of Babson College (MA) next weekend, February 24-26. The Beavers paid a visit last season in the final weekend of February as well, a series the Tigers collected just one of three games.