(Story courtesy of Trinity University Athletics Communications)
MARSHALL, Texas – The sixth-ranked Trinity University baseball team rallied to win the NCAA Regional Championship over hosting East Texas Baptist University on Sunday afternoon, losing the opening game 4-0 before winning the second 7-4 in 10 innings.
The Tigers (39-7) scored six of their seven runs in the eighth and tenth innings against ETBU (30-16), coming to life just in time to avoid getting swept out of the postseason. Kaleb Woodward laced a two-run triple to right-center for the eventual game-winning runs, breaking a 4-4 in the top of the 10th. Will Hellings struck out the side in the 10th, pitching around two walks and an error, and getting the final strikeout with the bases loaded.
Trinity came into the day needing just one win to take the regional crown but was limited to just two hits in the 4-0 loss to start the day. That set up a winner-take-all game two, which East Texas Baptist took control of with runs in the fourth and sixth to lead 3-1 heading into the eighth. After Brandon Nelson hit his second solo homer of the game to trim the lead to 3-2, John Ramsey slammed a go-ahead two-run homer to give the Tigers their first lead of the day. East Texas Baptist rallied for the tying run in the bottom of the eighth, but Trinity held on long enough to win it in extras.
Nelson went 3-for-4 with the two home runs in the second game, while Ramsey finished 3-for-4 with the two-run long ball, and Nicholas Lazzara was also 3-for-4 with a walk. Woodward's only hit of the day came on his final at-bat – the game-winning triple that drove in two runs. Kai Tinker added two hits and two runs scored in the finale as well.
Hellings improved to 4-1 this season with the win, allowing just one hit over the final 2.2 innings. Wes Hellings tied his brother for the team lead with three strikeouts in the game, also giving up just one hit over 2.0 shutout innings of relief. Starter Brandon Morio ended up with a no-decision, allowing three runs on four hits over 5.0 innings. Jace Clay was tagged with the loss in the opening game, falling to 5-2 this season after allowing three runs on seven hits across 5.2 innings, and striking out five batters.
East Texas Baptist held Trinity to just two hits in the opening game, scoring all four of its runs by way of home runs, and holding Trinity's potent offense in check the entire game. Trinity took the early lead in game two, as Nelson hit his first solo homer of the day to make it a 1-0 game. Morio kept ETBU off the board until a two-run homer in the fourth put the home team in control. After a solo shot in the sixth made it 3-1, all signs pointed towards East Texas Baptist ousting Trinity from the playoffs again. The teams also played in the regional finals in 2023, with the ETBU Tigers eliminating the TU Tigers to continue their postseason run.
This year it was Trinity's turn and it began with Nelson's homer to lead off the inning, followed by a critical single by Tinker to keep the rally going. Two batters later, Ramsey put Trinity in front in an unexpected momentum swing that ultimately changed the game. East Texas Baptist tied it up in the bottom half of the inning, though, and both teams reset for a new game.
Trinity put two runners on with two outs in the top of the ninth, but an inning-ending double play – the fourth one turned by the home team – squashed the rally and ETBU had a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth. East Texas also had two on with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Trinity's defense matched its counterpart with a double play of its own to send the game into extra innings.
In the 10th, Tinker and Ramsey both picked up base hits to put runners on the corners with one out, setting up Woodward's game-winning hit. Maddox McDonald then drove in an insurance run with a single to left to make it 7-4. East Texas finally got out of that inning and had one final shot to keep the game going. Hellings sandwiched a walk between two strikeouts, then an error and another walk loaded the bases. Hellings finished off the final batter with one more strikeout to send Trinity to the Super Regionals.
Trinity will host fellow Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference school McMurry University (TX) in the Super Regionals, which will be a best-of-three series that begins on Friday, May 23, at a time to be determined. The winner will advance to the NCAA III College World Series, which will be played May 30-June 5 at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake, Ohio.