CLEBURNE, Texas -- Trinity University completed its sweep of the competition at the 2023 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament, capped by a 13-6 victory over Texas Lutheran University on Sunday, to claim the program's 13th overall SCAC tournament title and first since 2019. Official Website l Tournament Stats l Photo Gallery | Postgame Interview
Trinity, which improved to 28-14 while claiming the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, saved its best baseball of the season for this weekend at The Depot at Cleburne Station.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both teams scored a pair of opening inning runs, with TLU picking up a pair of unearned runs on three singles and an error by Trinity shortstop Michael Montrezza. Trinity answered in its half of the inning in similar fashion, plating a pair of runs (one unearned) after two singles and an error by TLU shortstop Randy Huerta.
- With the score tied at four after three innings, Trinity broke the game open with three runs in the bottom of the fourth with three runs on four hits, including a two-run single by third baseman Jack Baker and a run scoring single from left fielder Ty Preston.
- The Tigers continued to pour it on in the sixth with four more runs - with the big blow coming off the bat of first baseman Cristian Holloway, a three-run no doubter to straight away centerfield, which gave Trinity a 11-4 lead.
- Trinity centerfield Jack Peterson crushed a two-run home run to right field in the seventh to extend the Tigers' lead to 13-4.
- TLU catcher Holden Philippus closed the game to 13-6 with his ninth inning two-run blast to left center, but that would be as close as the Bulldogs would get as Joseph Chavana closed out the game for his first save of the season.
- Trinity right-hander Harrison Durow picked up the win with a strong 6.0 innings of work, allowing nine hits and four runs (two earned) while striking out five and walking one.
- The two teams combined for 29 hits, with Trinity picked up 16 and Texas Lutheran 13.
TRINITY UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Cristian Holloway: 3-4, 1 run, 4 RBI, 1 HR
- Jack Peterson: 3-4, 3 runs, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR
- Jack Baker: 2-4, 3 RBI
- Ezra Gore: 1-2, 2 runs, 1 SB
- Ty Preston: 2-5, 1 run, 2 RBI
- Michael Montrezza: 2-5, 2 runs
- Harrison Durow (WP): 6.0 IP, 9 hits, 4 R, 2 ER, 5 K, 1 BB
TEXAS LUTHERAN STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Alec Sanchez: 3-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 3B
- Holden Philippus: 1-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, 1 HR
- Blake Cappadona: 3-5, 1 run
- Aric Vasquez: 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI
NOTABLES
- Trinity's Peterson fell just a single short of hitting for the cycle.
- This was Trinity's fourth consecutive trip to the SCAC tournament final. The Tigers won it all in 2019 and finished runner-up in both 2021 and 2022.
- Trinity will make its fourth straight trip to the NCAA Playoffs.
- Trinity's Ezra Gore, Cristian Holloway and Jack Martinez are all repeat all-tournament honorees from a year ago, and Gore is now a three-time honoree (2021). Texas Lutheran's Brendan Beard earned his second all-tournament recognition, having also made the squad in 2021.
- The 2023 championship marked the fifth time the conference tournament has been held at The Depot at Cleburne Station, breaking the tie with USA Field in Millington, Tennessee as having hosted the most SCAC Baseball Tournaments.
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
- Catcher - Holden Philippus, Texas Lutheran
- First Baseman - Tyler Post, Texas Lutheran
- First Baseman - Cristian Holloway, Trinity
- Second Baseman - Aric Vasquez, Texas Lutheran
- Shortstop - Michael Montrezza, Trinity
- Third Baseman - Jack Baker, Trinity
- Outfielder - Ezra Gore, Trinity
- Outfielder - Ty Preston, Trinity
- Outfielder - Carson Livesay, Centenary
- Outfielder - Jack Peterson, Trinity
- Outfielder - Maxwell Mims, Southwestern
- Pitcher - Jackson Teer, Trinity
- Pitcher - Jack Martinez, Trinity
- Pitcher - Brendan Beard, Texas Lutheran
- Pitcher - Parker Primeaux, Centenary
UP NEXT
With the win, Trinity (28-14) earned its first tournament title since 2019 and clinched the league's automatic berth into the upcoming NCAA Division III Championship. Texas Lutheran (29-15), the league's regular season champion, will await word of an at-large selection when bids go out a week from Monday. The Bulldogs were the only conference school ranked in the last NCAA Region X rankings, coming in at fifth heading into this weekend's tournament.
This year's Division III championship will be played June 2-8 at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
