CLEBURNE, Texas -- In a contest that combined for 30 hits and 22 runs, second-seeded Texas Lutheran University outlasted top-seeded Trinity University and will head to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball championship for the third consecutive tournament after a 12-10 victory Saturday afternoon at the Depot at Cleburne Station at the 2021 SCAC Baseball Tournament. Official Website l Tournament Stats l Photo Gallery l Postgame Interview w/ Head Coach Rick Heines | Postgame Interview w/ Junior Joe Jimenez
HOW IT HAPPENED
- TLU jumped out to a 3-0 lead at the end of the first and led 4-1 after three innings.
- Trinity began to chip away scoring one run in the home half of the fourth and two in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 4-4 through five before the game exploded in the sixth inning.
- The Bulldogs opened the sixth scoring five runs in the top half, taking a 9-4 lead before Trinity responded with five runs of their own in the bottom of the frame to take its first lead of the game 10-9. The teams combined for 11 runs on nine hits in the sixth inning, including 10 of the 11 runs coming with two outs in the inning.
- TLU would regain the lead in the seventh with a pair of runs and add an insurance tally in the eighth, while the Bulldogs bullpen kept Trinity off the board the final three innings to secure the 12-10 victory.
- Three different TLU players registered three of more hits, including Joe Jimenez who went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, three RBI and two home runs. Tyler Cauley finished the day 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBI, two runs scored and two doubles. Cullen Motsinger led all players with four hits (4-for-5), including a triple. He scored twice and drove in two runs as well.
- Jack Wisniewski and MJ Metz each registered three hits for Trinity. Wisniewski went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, one RBI and three doubles, while Metz was 3-for-5 with two runs scored, two RBI and his second home run of the tournament. Brian Schaub crushed his second home run of the tournament as well for the Tigers and now has six RBI through two games.
- In total, the two teams combined to use 13 pitchers as TLU’s Zach Perry was credited with his second win of the season and Blade Strzelczyk picked up his second save in as many days for the Bulldogs.
TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Joe Jimenez: 3-3, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR, 1 BB
- Cullen Motsinger: 4-5, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 BB
- Tyler Cauley: 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B
- Holden Philippus: 2-5, 2 RBI, 1 R
- Zach Perry (WP): 2.1 IP, 1 hit, 0 R
- Blade Strzelczyk (S): 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 R
TRINITY UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- MJ Metz: 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR
- Jack Wisniewski: 3-4, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 RBI, 3 2B
- Michael Goodrich: 2-5, 1 RBI
- Jack Vonderhaar: 2-5, 2 RBI, 1 R
- Brian Schaub: 1-4, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 HR
NOTABLES
- The 22 runs scored is the most since Centenary and Southwestern combined to score 22 runs back in the 2016 tournament.
- Today marked the 10th meeting between TLU and Trinity at the SCAC Tournament. TLU has won three of the last five meetings and is now 3-7 overall.
- Since the tournament went to a four-team format in 2014, the team that has won Game 3 to advance to the championship round has won four of the last six championships.
- Trinity saw its 21-game winning streak snapped when plating seven or more runs in an SCAC Tournament contest. The Tigers fall to 50-4 all-time when scoring seven or more runs.
UP NEXT
Texas Lutheran advances to championship round and will play for the SCAC title tomorrow with first pitch set for 1 p.m. CT. As the only undefeated team remaining in the tournament, the Bulldogs will have two chances to win the league crown on Sunday.