Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 AUBURNDALE, Fla. -- Trinity International drove in first-inning runs in both games against the St. Ambrose Fighting Bees, but the Trojans ultimately fell in both contests, 6-3 in the first game, and 4-2 in the second.
The Trojans (0-6) held an early lead in the first game of the day, after second baseman Scott Krawiec led the game off by reaching base on an SAU error. A.J. Bruner drove his teammate in three plays later, then scored a run himself on Rafael Mendez' single.
With a run in the third inning and two more in the fourth, the Fighting Bees (4-2) briefly held a 3-2 lead, until the Trojans tied the game in the top of the sixth. Cameron Stanley led the inning off with a single, before moving from first to third on Adam Vignola's base hit. TIU tied the score when Bruner sent a sacrifice fly to right, allowing Stanley to tag up and score.
The Bees responded in the bottom of the inning, however, with three runs on three hits, including a pair of doubles, to take a 6-3 edge. With three outs to work with in the 7-inning game, the Trojans would be retired in order.
In the second game of the day, St. Ambrose would take the first-inning lead with a pair of unearned runs from a Trojan error in the field. Playing a bit of small-ball in the early moments of the game, TIU led the bottom half of the inning off with a walk from Krawiec. The sophomore then advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Stanley, and stole third during the following at-bat. Vignola drove the run in on a groundout to short, cutting the Bees lead to 2-1.
St. Ambrose tacked on another run in the second, but the Trojans kept the score close with a run of their own, as Jonathan Grotelueschen hit a leadoff triple, and was then driven in on a single from Mendez.
Both pitching staffs would settle into a rhythm over the next few innings, as the Bees were held without a hit over the third through fifth innings. Trojan pitcher Ryan Helmeid finished his day by allowing just three hits and one earned run over five innings. For SAU, Robert Copely retired 11 straight batters through the middle innings to keep a Trinity comeback at bay.
SAU tallied an insurance run in with back-to-back singles to lead off the seventh, driving in their fourth score of the day on a sacrifice fly.
With a combined 2-for-6 performance on the day, Mendez extends his team-leading hitting streak to five games. The senior has started the season with a .316 average, and a team-high six hits and three RBI.
The Trojans continue their spring break trip on Tuesday, when they take on the Aquinas (Mich.) Saints in a doubleheader. The first pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. Eastern in Lakeland, Fla., at Lake Bonny Park.
