(Story courtesy of Trinity University)
MCMINNVILLE, Ore. - Trinity University's baseball team opened up the McMinnville Regional Tournament with a 4-3 loss to Chapman University on Wednesday afternoon at Linfield College. Box Score | NCAA West Regional Site
Trinity (32-8) had its 13-game winning streak snapped with the loss, falling for the first time since March 27 against Hendrix College. It also marks just the second time the Tigers have lost the opening game of the NCAA Playoffs.
Ben Klimesh (7-1) was charged with his first loss of the season, giving up just four runs through seven innings of work, and striking out four batters. He did yield eight walks in the game - three of which came around to score - but he also forced Chapman to strand seven runners on base.
Brian Rauh went the distance for Chapman, giving up three runs - two earned - on five hits, and striking out 11 Tiger batters. Rauh also walked six Trinity hitters, and defensively, Chapman committed three errors. All told, Trinity left 12 players on base in the game.
Trinity opened the scoring with a run in the third inning, but another potential run was thrown out at home in the inning. That left the door open for Chapman, which tied the game on a solo homer by Tyler Hadzinsky in the bottom of the inning.
In the fourth, with two men on and two outs, Chapman's Ryan Hall hit a two-run double that put the Panthers ahead 3-1. The Tigers answered right back with an RBI single from Kevin Calbick to make it 3-2, but in the seventh, Chapman scored an insurance run on a single to left field.
Trinity loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eighth inning, but managed just one run on a Dylan Early sacrifice fly, and Chapman was able to hold on for the win.
Calbick finished with two of Trinity's five hits in the game, while Kevin Jackson scored a pair of runs. Dominick Robusto was 1-3 with one run and one RBI, drawing two walks in the game.
Trinity returns to action at noon (Pacific) tomorrow, facing off against either hosting Linfield College or Mississippi College in an elimination game. The winner of that game would advance to play at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.