(Story Courtesy of Trinity University Sports Information Department)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The 15th-ranked Tiger baseball team held on in game one of its best-of-three NCAA Super Regionals series with a 9-8 victory at third-ranked Birmingham-Southern College on Friday afternoon.
Trinity improved its record to 36-11 this season, which now includes a pair of wins over BSC. The Tigers beat the Panthers 7-4 earlier this season and now hold a slim 5-4 edge in overall games between the two teams. Birmingham-Southern fell to 41-9 with the loss.
Today was a back-and-forth game as both teams jockeyed for the series-opening win. Trinity took the first lead, then after BSC tied things up, the Tigers quickly pulled back in front. Birmingham-Southern had a go-ahead grand slam to take its first lead of the game in the fifth.
The Tigers tied things up 6-6 in the sixth, then added three runs in the eighth to seemingly take control of the game. The Panthers scratched two runs across and had runners in scoring position when Trinity was able to escape with the win.
Game two of the series will begin tomorrow afternoon, with the series finale to follow (if necessary). Trinity can clinch a spot in the NCAA III World Series with a single win, while BSC will have to sweep both games of the doubleheader to advance.
The Rundown
Both starting pitchers were rolling early, combining to allow just one over the first in the bottom of the third. Trinity's first baserunner came via Birmingham-Southern's first of three errors in the game and would lead to a pair of unearned runs.
Michael Montrezza reached on the error, then advanced to second on a fly ball up against the wall in left field. MJ Metz then delivered a two-out double to put the Tigers on the board. Jack Wisniewski followed with a hit of his own to bring in Metz, but was put out trying to advance on the throw home to end the inning.
Trinity's 2-0 lead was short-lived, though, as Birmingham-Southern tied the game with a two-run homer in the top of the fourth to tie things up. The Tigers reclaimed the lead with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning – all of which came with two outs. Jack Vonderhaar tripled home the first run of the inning, then Tyler Pettit rocked a two-run blast over the fence in left field to put Trinity up 5-4.
Birmingham-Southern came back with a pair of singles to start the fifth inning, then followed a sac bunt with a walk to load the bases. Following a strikeout, the Panthers used a two-out rally of their own with another long ball – this time a grand slam that put BSC in front for the first time in the game, 6-5.
Nathan Braulick and Brian Schaub drew back-to-back walks to open the sixth inning, which eventually led to the Tigers tying the game 6-6. For Schaub, his 47th walk of the year set a new Tiger record for a single season.
Braulick also reached base to open the eighth inning, notching an infield single to set the table for what would be a three-run inning for the Trinity offense. Schaub reached on another walk, then an error brought in the first run of the inning. Colt Harris singled in two insurance runs to finish off the scoring for the Tigers, who took a 9-6 lead into the ninth inning.
The Birmingham-Southern rally began immediately as the first two hitters reached on a single and a walk, bringing the tying run to the plate. Another BSC single drove in the first run to make it 9-7, then a groundout put both runners in scoring position. Samuel Conte made his second relief appearance of the season, hitting the first batter he faced to put the winning run on base. Conte got the second out of the inning, but another run scored to make it 9-8. He then induced a game-ending fly out to left field to lock down the save.
Numbers to Note
Schaub drew two walks and scored a run in today's game, moving alone in first place on Trinity's all-time list with 48 walks this season. He broke a 25-year-old record that was originally set by Matt Rall in 1997.
Pettit drove in two runs with his 10th home run of the season, joining Metz and Schaub with double-digit round-trippers this season. It marks the first time ever that three Trinity players have hit 10 or more home runs in the same year.
Braulick and Vonderhaar scored two runs each, while Metz and Wisniewski led the Tigers with two hits each in the game.
Starting pitcher Joseph Chavana pitched 6.1 innings and struck out four batters for the Tigers, but was saddled with a no-decision. Harrison Durow snagged the victory to improve to 7-0 on the year, while Conte picked up his second career save.
Up Next
Trinity and Birmingham-Southern continue the best-of-three Super Regionals with a game at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. If BSC wins the game, the teams will play a winner-take-all finale which will decide which team will advance to the NCAA III World Series.
