Trinity and Texas Lutheran Advance to Winner's Bracket Showdown at SCAC Baseball Tournament

Trinity and Texas Lutheran Advance to Winner's Bracket Showdown at SCAC Baseball Tournament

(Photos by Josh Moczygemba)

The top two seeds, Trinity University and Texas Lutheran University, were both victorious in opening day action at the 2014 SCAC Baseball Tournament which is being contested on the campus of Trinity in San Antonio, Texas.

GAME ONE
TRINITY 4, SOUTHWESTERN 3

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - 
The top-seed Trinity University held on for a 4-3 victory over the four-seed Southwestern University in the opening game of the 2014 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament on Friday afternoon. Official Championship Website | Box ScoreTim Scannell (TU) Post-Game Interview | Austin Singer (TU) Post-Game Interview | Photo Gallery | Interactive Bracket

Trinity (31-8) started quickly with two runs in the bottom of the first, but Southwestern (14-27) held on to the bitter end in a thriller to open play this weekend.  

The Pirates got to within a run at 3-2 in the eighth, then after the Tigers added another run in the bottom of the inning, Southwestern threatened again in the ninth.  Clayton Sparks dropped a two-out hit into center field to bring home a run that made it 4-3 in the final frame, but following a misplayed ball in the outfield, he was thrown out trying to advance to second to end the game.

Trinity's Trent Rape improved to 2-0 on the season with a strong outing, giving up two runs on seven hits over seven innings of work, and striking out five batters.  Kevin Flores came on with runners in scoring position in the eighth, but struck out the side to keep Southwestern at bay.  Flores entered the game with a one-run lead in the eighth, finishing off the game to earn his second save of the season.

Southwestern's Jason Stading (1-6) was charged with the loss, giving up three runs on three hits over five innings.  Two of those runs came in the first inning, and a solo homer by Trinity's Christian Muscarello in the third was the only other run he allowed.

Sparks finished with a pair of hits to lead Southwestern, going 2-5 with a double, scoring once, and driving in another run.  Charlie St. Clair and Ben Little had two hits each for the Pirates.

Austin Singer led Trinity's offense with two hits and two runs scored, driving in the first run of the game in the bottom of the first.  He also contributed with his glove, making a two-run saving diving catch in the top of the first inning (pictured above). Although Singer was the only Tiger player with more than one hit, Pat Hirschberg and Jeremy Wolf each picked up RBI in the game.

GAME TWO
TEXAS LUTHERAN 11, CENTENARY 3

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - 
Second-seed Texas Lutheran University finished off the final game of the 2014 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament with a flurry, defeating third-seed Centenary College 11-3 on Friday evening. Official Championship Website | Box ScoreGreg Burnett (TLU) Post-Game Interview | Keaton Bohrmann (TLU) Post-Game Interview | Photo Gallery | Interactive Bracket

The Bulldogs blew the game wide open with an eight-run eighth inning, highlighted by Keaton Bohrmann's grand slam.  Texas Lutheran scored all eight runs with two outs in the inning, turning a tie game into an 11-3 lead heading into the final frame.

Centenary tied the game 2-2 in the fourth on a homer from Marc Martinez, then took its first lead with a run in the top of the seventh.  Texas Lutheran then tied the game in the bottom of the inning, setting up the prolific eighth.

The grand slam was the only hit of the game for Bohrmann, but he was the only Bulldog player with more than one RBI on the day.  Christian DeBlanc and Derek Kanas both went 2-4 with two runs scored, while Tony Gennusa was 2-3 with two walks from his leadoff spot in the order.

Centenary had four players with two hits, led by Brent LeJeune and Chris Jones, who both went 2-3 in the game.  Michael Schimpf and Taylor Reed went 2-4 for the Gents.

Reliever Taylor Henry was charged with the loss, after starter Layton Tromba left the game in a 3-3 tie.  Tromba allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits, striking out five batters, but also yielding five walks.

Thomas Harwell improved to 3-2 for the Bulldogs with his victory in relief, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings to finish off the game.  Dwayne Snider started the game for the Bulldogs, striking out six, and allowing three runs on nine hits over his 6.1 innings of work.

Texas Lutheran moves on to face top seed Trinity at noon tomorrow, while Centenary will take on Southwestern in the first elimination game of the three-day tournament.  That game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start.  The loser from the 12:00 p.m. game will face the winner of the second game at 7:00 p.m. for a spot in Sunday's SCAC Championship.