(Photos by Josh Moczygemba)
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.
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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.
Trinity advances to face the winner of this evening's game between #2 Texas Lutheran University and #3 Centenary College. That game will begin at 12:00 p.m. Southwestern will face the losing team in the first elimination game of the tournament at 3:30 p.m.
