CLEBURNE, Texas -- Needing just one win on Sunday to earn the program's second-ever Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Championship, third-seeded Centenary College was pushed to the limit by top-seeded Trinity University. After dropping the day's first game, 6-4 in 10 innings, the Gents bounced back to ultimately hoist the championship trophy with a 10-5 victory in the winner-take-all contest that followed. Official Website l Tournament Stats l Photo Gallery | Postgame Interview
The Gents' John Beaudoin drove in four runs on two hits, including a two-run single in the first inning that gave Centenary its first lead of the game at 4-2, and head coach Mike Diaz got just enough pitching from the four arms he used in the contest to propel Centenary to the 2022 tournament title. Sophomore right hander Zack Clark, who picked up the win, allowed just two hits and two walks and junior right-hander Hank Bennett, who didn't allow a hit while walking three, combined for 6.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Earlier in the day, Trinity's Michael Montrezza blasted a two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning to give the Tigers a 6-4 victory over Centenary and forced Sunday's winner-take-all game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Sunday's second game was a bullpen game as Centenary used four pitchers, Trinity used six and it took 45 minutes just to play the first inning. A game after 10 batters were hit by pitch, the trend continued in the second game with seven more batters earning passes on HBPs.
- Christian Holloway, who earned all-tournament honors for his performance during the event, doubled home two runs in the first to get Trinity on the board, but the Gents answered in the bottom half with four of their own, capped by a two-run single by John Beaudoin.
- Trinity took the lead again in the top of the third, with Colt Harris' solo home run and Holloway's run-scoring double contributing the big blows.
- Centenary answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, one in the seventh and three more in the eighth to put the game away. All-tourney honoree Austin Benoit's two-run double in the eighth gave the Gents all the cushion they would need.
- Centenary got a double play to pick up two quick outs in the ninth, then pitched around a walk to clinch the conference title.
CENTENARY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- John Beaudoin: 2-3, 4 RBIs
- Austin Benoit: 1-4, 1 run, 1 2B, 3 RBIs
- Brady Robinson: 3-6, 1 RBI
- Noah Koehmstedt: 1-3, 3 runs, 1 RBI, 2 BBs
- Preston Ludwick: 2-3, 1 RBI
- Zack Clark (W): 3.2 IP, 2 hits, 1 K, 0 ER
- Hank Bennett: 3.0 IP, 0 hits, 3 BB, 0 ER
TRINITY UNIVERITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Christian Holloway: 2-3, 2 2B, 3 RBIs
- Colt Harris: 1-3, 1 run, 1 HR, 1 RBI
- Ezra Gore: 1-3, 2 runs, 1 2B
- MJ Metz - 1-4, 1 run, 1 SB
NOTABLES
- Since joining the conference in 2013, Centenary has played on the final day of the SCAC tournament five times, going 2-6 in those contests. Their two victories both came against Trinity, both resulted in tournament titles and both times after losing the first game to the Tigers on Sunday.
- This was Trinity's third consecutive trip to the SCAC tournament final. The Tigers won it all in 2019 and finished runner-up in both 2021 and 2022.
- Trinity's Tyler Pettit, Ezra Gore and MJ Metz along with Centenary's Tyler Welch are all repeat all-tournament honorees from a year ago. Trinity's Jack Wisniewski earned his second all-tournament recognition, having also made the squad in 2019.
- The 2022 championship marked the fourth the conference has held at The Depot at Cleburne Station, which ties with USA Field in Millington, Tennessee as having hosted the most SCAC Baseball Tournaments.
- Trinity's MJ Metz had three home runs and 21 total bases, falling just one HR and two total bases, respectively, from the all-time single-tournament records for each of those categories.
- Gore of Trinity extended his hitting streak to 31 consecutive games by hitting safely in each of today's games.
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
- Catcher - Tyler Pettit, Trinity
- Catcher - Ben Bridges, Centenary
- Infielder - MJ Metz, Trinity
- Infielder - Noah Martinez, St. Thomas
- Infielder - Preston Ludwick, Centenary
- Infielder - Jack Wisniewski, Trinity
- Infielder - Brady Robinson, Centenary
- Outfielder - Tyler Welch, Centenary
- Outfielder - Gary Hewitt, Centenary
- Outfielder - Ezra Gore, Trinity
- Outfielder - Austin Benoit, Centenary
- Designated Hitter - Christian Holloway, Trinity
- Pitcher - Tyler Herrera, Centenary
- Pitcher - Jack Martinez, Trinity
- Pitcher - Chris Parsons, St. Thomas
UP NEXT
With the win, Centenary (27-16) earned its first tournament title since 2017 and and clinched the league's automatic berth into the upcoming NCAA Division III Championship. The selection show is set for Monday, May 16 at 11 a.m. central. Trinity, the top seeded team in Region X, fell to 32-10 with the loss and will have to await word of an at-large bid to the national championships.
