SAN ANTONIO – No. 19 Trinity University Baseball posted a seven-inning run-rule victory in its Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference-opener Friday night against Austin College, 10-0, walking off with one out in the seventh.
The Tigers (10-5) collected another career-highlight performance from junior right-hander
Joseph Chavana (Laredo, Texas / J.B. Alexander) as he tied his career high of 11 strikeouts—a mark set in last year's series with the Kangaroos—to go with the shutout, allowing just one hit and two walks in his abbreviated complete game.
Trinity collected three multi-RBI performances on the night in Chavana's support, led by junior second baseman
Colt Harris (Katy, Texas / Houston Christian) with three batted in, followed by two each from junior first baseman
Kai Tinker (Simi Valley, Calif. / Grace Brethren) and junior designated hitter
Cristian Holloway (Brownsville, Texas / Veterans Memorial).
No. 19 Tiger Baseball continues its SCAC-opening series with Austin College with a Saturday doubleheader, schedule for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch—weather permitting, check the team schedule at TrinityTigers.com for updates.
The Rundown
Chavana's lone hit on his record Friday night came after a two-out throwing error by the junior from the mound, though the Laredo, Texas-native was already well on his way to his career punchout mark with a pair in the first, just as he would do in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings as well.
Meanwhile, the Tiger bats found ample opportunity early on as Trinity left the bases loaded in each of the first two innings despite not recording a base hit to that point. Through the first two innings, Holloway had already collected two free passes of the four handed out by the 'Roos.
With Chavana dealing, senior outfielder
Ezra Gore (Dallas, Texas / McKinney North) finally broke through with a lead-off double in the third. After Austin's fifth walk of the game, Tinker came to the plate to record the first run of the contest, squeezing Gore in.
Now with Chavana at eight strikeouts to just the one baserunner, the Tigers erupted for five runs in the fourth. Senior catcher
Tyler Pettit (Round Rock, Texas / Round Rock) collected Trinity's third consecutive hit in the inning as a RBI double, which was followed by bases-loaded walks for Tinker and senior shortstop
Michael Montrezza (Los Gatos, Calif. / Leigh)—the second base on balls for Montrezza. Harris scored Gore and Montrezza with a one-strike drive through the left side to put the Tigers up, 6-0.
The offensive bottleneck continued for Trinity in the sixth as the Tigers left the bases loaded a third time, though this time featured Pettit's second base hit in the game. Between Chavana's 10
th and 11
th strikeouts, Holloway approached the plate with the bases loaded for a sacrifice fly and his second RBI.
The outing finished on a three-run burst in the seventh. Gore collected a second lead-off hit for the game which led to another bases-loaded sacrifice fly—this time by Harris. Junior outfielder
Ty Preston (Pearland, Texas / Pearland), who came in as a defensive replacement in the top of the inning, recorded Trinity's third bases-loaded walk of the game, which was followed by a Holloway RBI groundout to end the game.
Up Next
Two more against Austin College tomorrow is next for No. 19 Trinity Baseball to conclude the 17-game season-opening homestand.
The Tigers will take to the road Tuesday to face McMurry University for a one-off in Abilene, Texas, followed by a weekend SCAC series at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, Texas.
