(Story Courtesy of Trinity University Sports Information Department)
RICHARDSON, Texas – The 15th-ranked Trinity baseball team opened its best-of-five NCAA Regional series at the University of Texas-Dallas with a 7-4 victory on Friday afternoon.
The Tigers improved to 33-10 overall this season and 34-24 in the program's 14th appearance in the Division III Playoffs. UT-Dallas
Joseph Chavana allowed three earned runs – four total – over 7.1 innings of work, scattering eight hits, and recording five strikeouts. He earned the victory to improve to 10-1 this season, winning his seventh consecutive start. Harrison Durow recorded his team-leading third save by getting the final five outs of the game.
MJ Metz went 3-for-5 with three doubles to lead the Trinity offense that totaled 11 hits in the game. Metz also picked up two RBI and scored a run in the game.
Trinity and UT-Dallas will continue the series with a doubleheader on Saturday, with the opening game slated for a 10:00 a.m. start. The Tigers can end the series with two wins tomorrow, while UT-Dallas can force the series to advance to Sunday with at least one win.
The Rundown
Trinity gave up an unearned run after committing a pair of errors in the top of the first inning, staking UT-Dallas to the early 1-0 lead. Chavana gave up his second hit of the game in the top of the first, then hit a batter to put two runners on with no outs. Chavana picked up his first strikeout of the game for the first out, then induced an inning-ending double play to keep it a 1-0 game.
The Tigers stranded a runner in the first, but were able to take advantage of a hit batter to lead off the second inning. Brian Schaub reached to begin the inning, then was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jack Vonderhaar. Two batters later, Michael Montrezza delivered an RBI single that tied things up 1-1.
Chavana pitched around a couple of walks in the top half of the third, thanks in large part to another double play by the Tiger infield. He then needed just eight pitches to retire the side in order in the fourth to keep the game level.
The Trinity offense had just one hit over the first three innings, though the Comets were forced to go the bullpen after an injury to their starting pitcher. With two outs in the fourth, Vonderhaar and Tyler Pettit picked up back-to-back hits to put runners on the corners, but UT-Dallas escaped with the game still tied.
The third double play of the game turned by the Tiger defense helped offset a leadoff single by UTD in the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the inning, Metz got the offense going with a one-out double to left-center for his first hit of the game. Gore drew a two-out walk two batters later, then Nathan Braulick broke the tie with an RBI single. Schaub then crushed a double into the gap in right-center to score two more runs and put Trinity in front 4-1.
UT-Dallas started the sixth with back-to-back singles, followed by a two-run triple to make it a one-run game. A sacrifice fly got the first out of the inning, but it also tied the game 4-4. The Comets kept the pressure on with another hit and a walk to put two more runners aboard. Chavana then got his third strikeout of the game, followed by a fly out to shallow center to end the inning.
Trinity's answer was immediate in the bottom of the sixth, as Montrezza singled and stole second to open up the inning. After a lineout, Metz untied the game with his second consecutive double to put the Tigers back in front 5-4.
Chavana gave up a leadoff single in the eighth, then recorded his fifth strikeout of the game before giving way to the Tiger bullpen. Durow came on and got an inning-ending double play to keep Trinity in the lead. It marked the fourth double play of the game for the Tiger defense, rebounding from two early errors that led to the early run for UTD.
Pettit opened the Tiger eighth inning with a leadoff single, then moved to second on a sac bunt from Montrezza. Colt Harris then brought in an insurance run with a single through the right side that scored Pettit. Metz then hit his third straight double in the game to drive in another run and give Trinity a 7-4 advantage heading into the final inning.
Durow retired the Comets in order in the ninth to finish off his third save of the season, facing just four batters and needing only 13 pitches to close out the Trinity win.
Numbers to Note
With his three doubles today, Metz becomes just the seventh player in Trinity baseball history to hit 20 or more in a single season. His current total of 22 doubles in 2022 move him up to fourth in school history. Metz also scored his 100th career run.
Pettit and Montrezza both joined Metz with multi-hit games today. Pettit went 2-for-4 with a double, while Montrezza was 2-for-3 with a sacrifice and a steal.
With the victory today, Chavana is the first Trinity pitcher since 2013 (Ryan Lucero) to win 10 or more games in a single season.
Schaub finished 1-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and one run scored.
Ezra Gore finished 0-for-3 with a walk, snapping his 31-game hitting streak. The walk does move him up to 32 consecutive games reaching base for Trinity.
Up Next
Trinity and UT-Dallas continue the weekend series with a pair of games tomorrow, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The third game of the series will begin approximately 45 minutes after the first.
