LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Centenary College and Trinity University continue to hold down the top two spots in the standings as the Gents and Tigers are both tied at 5-1 in conference play as the calendar turns to March. Trinity is 12-2 overall while Centenary holds a 10-3 mark.
AROUND THE SCAC
Austin College went 0-4 during the week. The Kangaroos lost to LeTourneau 12-8 Tuesday before finishing the week with losses to Texas-Tyler (16-2), Whitworth (6-2) and Texas-Tyler (11-5) over the weekend. Austin College is now 3-15 overall and 2-4 in SCAC play. The Kangaroos return to action on March 5 when they host Texas-Dallas at 6 p.m.
Centenary took two of three from Dallas over the weekend to secure its second SCAC series of the season. The Gents used two dramatic finishes to clinch the series with both wins resulting in 4-3 decisions. Jemari James led the Gents at the plate with a .500 batting average and secured the series win as the St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, native scored on an error following a leadoff triple in the bottom of the ninth. His five hits tied for the team lead along with Kiefer Moore. Ryan Gasporra paced the Maroon and White with 3 RBI on the weekend, all coming on two homeruns belted by the Palm Dale, Calif., native. Gasporra finished the weekend tied for third on the team in hits with four with Craig Littleman. Chase Clarke and Taylor Henry posted win for the Gents on the mound. Clarke pitched the final inning in the Sunday thriller while Henry tossed five innings in the win on Saturday fanning seven batters and allowing just one run on four hits. As a staff, the Gent hurlers recorded a 1.38 ERA and held the Crusader hitters to a .225 average. Centenary returns to action on Saturday., Mar. 9 as the Gents host Trinity.
Dallas (9-8, 6-3 SCAC) went 1-2 (W, 2-1; L, 4-3; L, 4-3) on the week versus Centenary College of Louisiana in Shreveport, La, meaning the Crusaders sit third presently in the conference standings. Andrew Bossert (3-1) pitched a complete-game seven innings in game one, and all of the scoring occurred in the fourth inning. Sterling Maness was the game-winning run, as he touched home on a fielding error. A pair of 4-3 losses ensued for head coach Fraser Holmes' squad, giving Dallas their first conference series loss of the season. Trevor Keele now has a team-high -- second in SCAC -- .435 batting average, after a six-hit week which included a double. Dallas will combat East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas, this week -- (Friday: 7 p.m.; Saturday: 1 p.m. doubleheader).
Southwestern went 0-3 this week playing only a
weekend series against the Trinity Tigers. It was a hard fought
battle in game one but the Pirates came up short 4-0. In game 2 of
the double header two big inning allowed the Tigers to plate their
runs of the contest winning 6-1 over the Pirates. Game 3 didn't go
any better for the Pirates as Trinity picked up the sweep of the
series with a 15-2 win.
No. 7 Trinity finished off a 4-0 week of action with a
weekend sweep in conference play, and outscored the opposition 34-4
for the week. The Tigers opened with a 9-1 road win over future
SCAC member Schreiner, then took a three-game series from
Southwestern at home. Trinity scored its first shutout of the
season in the opener against the Pirates, then capped the series
with a 15-2 win on Sunday afternoon. Trinity will play five times
this week, starting with a Monday night game against Cardinal
Stritch University. The Tigers will then face DeSales University on
Thursday night, followed by a three-game series at Centenary
College on Saturday and Sunday. The Tigers beat Cardinal Stritch
13-3 last season, but lost a 5-0 game to DeSales. Trinity also took
two out of three at home against Centenary in 2012.
For the complete SCAC Baseball Diamond Weekly for
Week 5, click here.
