Baseball
 

February 24, 2008

Trinity Finishes Series With 10-Inning Thriller

San Antonio - Trinity's baseball team swept a three-game weekend series from Rutgers-Newark, winning 5-4 in 10 innings in Sunday's finale.

Trinity (4-3) trailed virtually the entire game after Rutgers-Newark scored three times in the first two innings.  The Tigers were able to claw back into the game with a pair of fourth-inning runs to make it 3-2.

In the sixth, after nearly having a runner picked off of first with two on and two outs, Rutgers-Newark capitalized with another run to make it 4-2.  Trinity answered with a run of its own in the sixth, then tied the game in the seventh on a bases-loaded walk.  The Tigers then left the bases loaded, missing a chance to potentially seal the win.

Rutgers-Newark managed just one hit in the final three innings, and even that runner was erased on a double play.  The Tigers left one on in the eighth and went in order in the ninth to send the game to extra frames.

In the 10th, Trinity had a leadoff single from Stosh Hoover to start things off, then a wild throw back to the pitcher resulted in an error that put Hoover in scoring position.  Evan Jones was intentionally walked to set up a game-winning single through the left side for first-year infielder Dominick Robusto.  Robusto was 1-5 in the game, making his only hit of the afternoon count in a big way for the Tigers.

Jones finished 3-4 with three RBI and a run scored, hitting his third homer of the season in the fourth inning.  Hoover was also 3-4 with three runs scored.

Ryan Poffenroth started on the mound for Trinity, giving up just three earned runs on eight hits through seven innings.  Poffenroth gave way to John Prato Matthews after giving up a leadoff single in the eighth, and Prato Matthews promptly mowed down eight batters in a row, striking out four.  Poffenroth finished with six strikeouts in the game, including striking out the side in the seventh inning.

Trinity will head to Kerrville, Texas on Tuesday afternoon, facing off against Schreiner University at 2:00 p.m.  The Tigers return home on Sunday to host Huston-Tillotson University.