Baseball
 

April 4, 2009

Tigers Earn Doubleheader Sweep and Clinch Season Series Over Austin

Sherman, Texas - Trinity's baseball team finished off a doubleheader sweep in SCAC play at Austin College on Saturday afternoon, winning 3-2 in 10 innings.

Trinity (16-15, 7-6) scored a run in the top of the ninth to tie the game, then took advantage of a leadoff single in the 10th to earn the team's second extra-inning win of the year against Austin College.

John Paillet, who scored the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh earlier today, singled to open the 10th inning of today's second game.  Paillet came off the bench as a pinch-runner in the eighth inning, then moved into center field in the ninth. 

Senior Steven Ramos singled up the middle with two outs, scoring Paillet from third base and breaking a 2-2 tie in the top of the 10th. 

With Trinity down 2-1 in the top of the ninth inning, Evan Jones doubled to lead off the inning, then was relieved by a surprise pinch-runner.  Evan Bronson, who earned the complete-game victory on the mound in game one, came on as a runner for Jones, then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ramos. 

Jeremy Bays then pinch-hit for the Tigers, promptly lifting a 1-1 pitch into left field to score Bronson on a sacrifice fly.  Trinity loaded the bases after that, but failed to produce the go-ahead run in that inning, setting up Paillet and Ramos to win it for the Tigers in the 10th.

Stosh Hoover and Kyle Felix collected two hits each for Trinity.  Jones was 2-4 in the second game, hitting his second double of the afternoon.

Noah Solomon put forth another standout performance for the Tiger pitching staff, giving up just two unearned runs on four hits through eight innings.  Solomon also struck out 10 batters.  Mike Panozzo (4-1) earned the win for the Tigers by pitching two shutout innings without allowing a hit to close the game.

Trinity and Austin will conclude the season series with a single game tomorrow afternoon, with the Tigers having already clinched the head-to-head matchup between the two schools.  Trinity is still locked in a close battle for a spot in the SCAC Tournament, though, so each of its remaining seven SCAC games are important.