SAN ANTONIO – The #8 Trinity University baseball team survived a back-and-forth Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference battle with Schreiner University (TX) on Sunday afternoon, clinching the weekend series with a 5-4 comeback win.
The Tigers (23-7, 18-3 SCAC) had to rally twice to complete the victory over the Mountaineers (9-21, 7-17 SCAC) in today's game. Trinity scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to reclaim the lead and then stranded the tying run at third base in the top of the ninth to clinch the win. Schreiner scored two runs in the first inning for the first lead, then Trinity tied it in the third and took a slim 3-2 lead in the fourth. Schreiner tied things up in the seventh, then pulled back in front with another run in the eighth – setting up Trinity's comeback in the bottom of the inning.
Jack Bussard (Reisterstown, Md. / McDonough School) got the starting nod and struck out four Schreiner batters in 2.1 innings of work before making way for
Jake Beck (Austin, Texas / Austin). Beck tossed 3.2 shutout innings in relief, allowing just three hits and recording a pair of strikeouts.
Brandon Morio (Austin, Texas / McNeil) got the win to improve to 4-0 and matched Beck with two strikeouts.
Jack Briese (Danville, Ky. / Boyle County) came on with two outs in the ninth and the tying run at third, inducing a game-ending fly out to right field to finish off the win and collect his second save of the season.
Maddox McDonald (San Antonio, Texas / Antonian) went 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI to lead a trio of Tigers with multi-hit games.
Kaleb Woodward (San Pedro, Calif. / Palos Verdes Peninsula) was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI, while
Khalfani Coney (Los Angeles, Calif. / Crossroads School) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
The Rundown
Trinity got off to a slow start, giving up two runs on two hits and a walk in the top of the first and hitting into a double play to finish the bottom of the inning. The Tigers got their first hit in the second but stranded another runner to keep it a 2-0 game.
Beck came on in the top of the third and promptly retired two batters to strand a Schreiner runner at third. The Tiger offense came out of its Sunday slumber after that, combining two hits and two walks to tie things up at 2-2. Woodward stole second and moved to third on an errant throw after reaching on a fielder's choice, then scored on McDonald's single to right.
Nicholas Lazzara (Carrollton, Texas / Jesuit College Prep) followed with a single of his own, then a walk loaded the bases.
Will Baker (Missouri City, Texas / Ridge Point) drove in McDonald with a ground out to second, tying the game 2-2.
Beck worked around a leadoff double and a hit batter in the fourth, giving the offense a chance to take the lead. Coney made sure to cash in on that chance, stroking a one-out double and then scoring the go-ahead run when
Cam Champness (Katy, Texas / Taylor) knocked a single through the right side of the infield.
Schreiner tied things up with a run in the seventh, then the Tigers hit into a double play to ruin a good scoring opportunity in the bottom of the inning. The Mountaineers carried the momentum into the eighth and regained the lead with a clutch two-out hit that made it a 4-3 game. Trinity was desperate to erase that deficit and once again Coney was there to jump-start the offense. He doubled to lead off the inning, then moved to third on a sac bunt. Woodward drove in Coney to tie the game, then McDonald followed with a double on the first pitch he saw to put the go-ahead run at third. Lazzara also swung on the first pitch and lifted a fly ball to left that allowed Woodward to score the eventual game-winning run.
Now facing another deficit with just three outs to go, Schreiner was the team in desperation mode. Morio got the first two batters out, but the third hit a triple into the corner in right field and the tying run was just 90 feet away. That's when Briese came in and got another fly ball – this one much shallower and playable – to end the game…and the series.
Up Next
Trinity will remain at home for another SCAC series next weekend, hosting Centenary College (LA) for three games on Friday and Saturday, April 11 and 12. Game one of the series will be at 7:00 p.m. on Friday night, followed by a Saturday afternoon doubleheader that begins at 1:00 p.m.
