(Story courtesy of Trinity University Athletics Communications)
EASTLAKE, Ohio – The sixth-ranked Trinity University baseball team suffered a 7-3 defeat in its opening game of the NCAA III College World Series against the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
The Tigers (41-9) and Warhawks (45-6) began the game Friday night, but weather conditions forced the game to be postponed at 11:23 p.m. (ET) and then resumed at Noon (ET) today. UW-Whitewater led 6-0 when the game was halted in the bottom of the fifth last night, then added another in the sixth inning on Saturday to up the score to 7-0. Trinity scored the final three runs to break up the shutout and make it interesting in the end, but the rally fell short. UW-Whitewater now holds a slim 5-4 edge in the all-time series between the teams, which met for the first time in the postseason today.
Brandon Morio suffered the loss and fell to 7-1, striking out five batters in 3.2 innings, but allowing five runs on six hits – most of which came in the first inning. Trajan Lee got the final of the fourth inning in relief, but didn't get to continue as the game was stopped after the top of the fifth. Jack Bussard got the nod on the restart, allowing just one run on four hits over the final 4.0 innings to keep the game within reach for the offense. Trinity finished the game with nine total hits, with Cam Champness collecting three of those hits in a 3-for-4 performance at the plate. Nicholas Lazzara was 1-for-3 with two walks.
The Rundown
After a quiet half-inning by Trinity to start the game, UW-Whitewater loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first. Morio got a strikeout for the second out, but UW-Whitewater then had three straight two-out singles – all with two strikes – to plate four runs on four total hits and take a big 4-0 lead. The Tigers couldn't put anything together offensively in the early innings and hit into a double play to close the top of the fourth. The Warhawks carried that momentum into the bottom of the inning, chasing Morio from the game and knocking in two more runs to lead 6-0. The Tigers put two on with two outs in the fifth but couldn't break into the scoring column just ahead of the weather delay.
The restart brought Bussard out of the bullpen for the Tigers and he pitched around a one-out single to keep it a 6-0 game. Trinity went quietly in their first chance of the day and UW-Whitewater came back with a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead to 7-0 after six innings. Brandon Nelson and Michael Lustina both had hits to put two on with one out for Champness in the seventh, and Champness picked up his third hit of the game to scratch across Trinity's first run. After a fielder's choice put runners on the corners with two outs, Kaleb Woodward stole second and Lustina scored on a throwing error to make it a 7-2 game. Two walks after that for Maddox McDonald (San Antonio, Texas / Antonian) and Lazzara loaded the bases, but UW-Whitewater escaped to keep it to a five-run game.
The Warhawks got the first two runners aboard against Bussard in the bottom of the seventh, but Lazzara picked off a runner at third and Bussard was able to keep the lead at 7-2. An error and a walk got Trinity started in the eighth, then Kai Tinker doubled to score the lead runner, but the second runner was called out on a somewhat controversial play at the plate. The play was reviewed and upheld and the Tigers lost all of their momentum after that. UW-Whitewater struck out the next two batters to keep it 7-3, then retired the side in order in the ninth to secure the win.
Up Next
Trinity will face off against Rowan University (NJ) Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. (ET) in an elimination game. The winner moves on to play Sunday night in another elimination game, while it will be the end of the season for the losing team. This will be the first meeting between the two schools.
