Baseball
 

March 19, 2008

Trinity Hangs on for Fourth Straight Victory

San Antonio - The Tiger baseball team held off a late rally to earn a 7-6 win over NAIA's Sterling (KS) College on Wednesday night at E.M. Stevens Field.

Trinity (14-7) led 4-0 after six innings, most of which the team picked up on three consecutive hits for RBI in the bottom of the first inning. 

Starting pitcher Waynne Warren had a solid outing in his first collegiate game, finishing with six strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work, and giving up three runs.  Warren threw six shutout innings to start the game, but got into trouble with two outs in the seventh by walking two and hitting another batter.

It was then that Sterling took all the momentum in the game, hitting a grand slam homer to tie the game at 4-4 heading into the seventh inning stretch.  After Trinity went in order in the seventh, reliever Clint Robertson - who got Trinity out of the top of the seventh - was also able to get through the eighth unscathed to give the offense a shot to reclaim the lead.  Robertson improved his record to 2-0 in the game.

After loading the bases with nobody out, the Tigers sent RBI leader Evan Jones to the plate.  Jones delivered as he has all year, clearing the bases with a double over the centerfielder's head, and giving Trinity a 7-4 lead.

In the ninth, Sterling proved the team's spirits were still not broken, though, putting two runners on with one out.  After back-to-back RBI singles, the team was down just one with runners on first and second and still one out. 

A ground ball to second ensued, resulting in one of the strangest double plays imaginable, and a wild finish.  Ramos, who had just entered the game at second base, flipped to Hoover for the first out, and Hoover - seeing that the runner at second never stopped and was headed for home to tie the game - made the risky decision to throw home instead of opt for the traditional double play.  Hoover's instincts paid off, and his throw to Fregosi at home was on the money - ending the game on a 4-6-2 double play.

Jones went 3-3 with five RBI in the game, while Hoover was 2-5 with two runs scored.  Jeff Claydon also had a pair of hits, and first-year Kevin Jackson had another great game in only his third career start.  Jackson finished with two hits and three runs scored in this one, and drew his fifth walk in the past two games.

Trinity opens a four-game SCAC series with Southwestern tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m.  The two teams will play a doubleheader on Friday afternoon, followed by the series finale at noon on Saturday.