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TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (0-0) vs. WILLIAM PENN STATESMEN (5-3)
Friday, March 7Â | 12:00 p.m. Central / 1:00 p.m. Eastern (Doubleheader)
Chain of Lakes Park | Winter Haven, Fla.
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TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (0-0) vs. MADONNA CRUSADERS (10-5)
Saturday, March 8Â | 9:00 p.m. Central / 10:00 a.m. Eastern
Lake Bonny Park | Lakeland, Fla.
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TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (0-0) vs. GRACE LANCERS (0-2)
Saturday, March 8Â | 1:00 p.m. Central / 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Lake Bonny Park | Lakeland, Fla.
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TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (0-0) vs. ST. AMBROSE FIGHTING BEES (1-1)
Monday, March 10 | 8:00 a.m. Central / 9:00 a.m. Eastern (Doubleheader)
Lake Myrtle Park | Auburndale, Fla.
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TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (0-0) vs. AQUINAS SAINTS (0-0)
Tuesday, March 11 | 11:00 a.m. Central / 12:00 p.m. Eastern (Doubleheader)
Lake Bonny Park | Lakeland, Fla.
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TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (0-0) vs. AQUINAS SAINTS (0-0)
Wednesday, March 12 | 8:30 a.m. Central / 9:30 p.m. Eastern
Lake Myrtle Park | Auburndale, Fla.
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TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (0-0) vs. CAIRN HIGHLANDERS (1-1)
Thursday, March 13 | 8:30 a.m. Central / 9:30 p.m. Eastern
Chain of Lakes Park | Winter Haven, Fla.
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TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (0-0) vs. TRINITY CHRISTIAN TROLLS (0-4)
Friday, March 14 | 9:00 a.m. Central / 10:00 a.m. Eastern (Doubleheader)
Tenrock HS | Lakeland, Fla.
Game Notes | Twitter Updates
This Week
Although their home field has yet to thaw out from a long winter, the Trinity International baseball team will kick off the 2014 season with a spring break trip to Florida this week. The Trojans will compete during the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, taking part in 12 games over eight days beginning this Friday.
Last Time Out
The Trojans will look to improve upon last year's 8-29 record, as TIU has 18 players returning for the 2014 campaign. TIU posted a 5-20 mark in the CCAC, resulting in a 12th-place finish in the regular season. During last year's RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, the Trojans went 3-9, picking up steam throughout the week, and finishing with three wins in their last four games during the trip. TIU faced off against three teams last year that they will see again this week; in 2013, the Trojans dropped two of three to Aquinas (Mich.), before splitting a doubleheader with Grace (Ind.), and capping the trip off with a loss to Trinity Christian.
Leading the charge this spring will be all four players who hit over .300 a year ago, including sophomore Adam Vignola (SO, Chicago, Ill.), who posted a team-high .351 average last year. Sophomores A.J. Bruner (SO, Evansville, Ind.) (.349) and Jon Debowey (SO, Riverton, Ill.) (.337), along with senior Rafael Mendez (SR, Santo Domingo, D.R.) (.316) will also look to make a big impact at the plate. Vignola and Bruner finished the year ranked 9th and 10th respectively, in the CCAC in batting average.
On the mound, Bruner will again anchor the TIU rotation after leading the team in wins and ERA. Sophomore Dakota Pisarek(SO, Chicago, Ill.) also returns after pitching a team-high 54 innings in 2013. Bruner finished with the 8th-lowest opponent batting average in the CCAC last year, at .241.
Trinity International also brings aboard a total of 12 freshmen, along with four students transferring in from the junior college ranks, to bolster both the lineup as well as the rotation and bullpen.Â
New Skipper
Head coach Paul Grotelueschen begins his first season in charge of the Trojan baseball program this week, after two seasons as the TIU pitching coach. Coach Grotelueschen came to Deerfield after 23 years of service in the United States Air Force. Before his military career, Grotelueschen played professional overseas, and then coached his teams to a pair of championships in both the Netherlands and Italy.Â
Scouting the Opponents
William Penn (Iowa)
• The Statesmen have gotten off to a 5-3 start to the season, splitting a four-game series at Central Baptist (Ark.), and a home doubleheader against Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.)
• One of the most aggressive teams on the basepaths, William Penn ranks 6th in NAIA with an average of 4.2 stolen base attempts per game. They also currently lead the nation in giving up outs on the bases, getting caught stealing 1.3 times each game.
• Pitching has shown to be one of their biggest strengths early in the season, as the WPU hurlers have collected a 2.03 ERA, good for 6th in the NAIA.
• This week's doubleheader with William Penn will be the first meeting between the Trojans and Statesmen since 2006.
Madonna (Mich.)
• After earning a berth to the NAIA Tournament a year ago, the Crusaders have posted a 10-5 record so far in 2014.
• The Cusaders rank 21st in the nation with 37 stolen bases, but have been caught stealing 15 times this season, third-most in the NAIA.
• Madonna has posted an even 3.00 ERA on the mound, good for 32nd nationally.
• The Trojans and Crusaders have met three times since 2006, including a doubleheader at last year's RussMatt Invitational. Madonna has taken all three decisions, and won last year's meetings by scores of 12-3, and 13-1.
Grace (Ind.)
• The Lancers dropped their first two games of the year, falling 11-4 to Viterbo (Wisc.), and 9-5 to Southeastern (Fla.). Grace is coming off a 14-24 season in 2013.
• Grace posted a 7-21-1 record in the Crossroads League last season, placing ninth in their conference.
• Senior outfielder Jacob Bloom returns after leading the team with a .389 batting average, good for 5th in the Crossroads League, and 49th in the NAIA.
• The Trojans lead the series over Grace dating back to the 2006 season; both sides split a double-header last season, but Trinity International had won five straight over the Lancers before last season's meeting.
Saint Ambrose (Iowa)
• The Fighting Bees opened up the season with a doubleheader split at Benedictine (Kan.), winning the opener 5-4 before dropping the second game 3-4.
• SAU went 15-26 a year ago, including a 10-10 performance in the Midwest Collegiate Conference, finishing with a pair of postseason wins before bowing out of the MCC Tournament.
• Through the first two games of the year, junior Matt Rosenberger is currently the national leader in the NAIA, with a 1.000 slugging percentage, as well as a 1.000 fielding percentage.
• The last meeting between the Trojans and Fighting Bees came in 2006, when TIU were swept in a three-game series.
Aquinas (Mich.)
• The Saints open up the season this weekend with their trip to Florida; last year, Aquinas went 25-20, and qualified for the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament.
• Senior left-handed pitcher Kevin Schafer returns as one of the top pitchers for Aquinas, posting a 5-2 record, 4.20 ERA, and .194 opponents' batting average in 2013. His OBA ranked 19th naionally in the NAIA.
• Junior outfielder Elliot Drain returns after hitting for a .385 average last year, along with two home runs and 17 RBI.
• Aquinas leads the series over TIU 3-0, after sweeping all three meetings last season.
Cairn (Pa.)
• The Highlanders have started the season 1-1, after splitting a double header with Pittsburgh-Bradford (Pa.) last weekend.
• Sophomore Caleb Lang posted a .444 average to lead Cairn a year ago, to go along with seven home runs, 38 RBI, and a .715 slugging percentage.
• Cairn went 10-32 last season, including a 1-17 record in the NCAA-III Colonial States Athletic Conference.
• This weekend marks the first meeting between TIU and Cairn.
Trinity Christian
• The Trolls dropped a four-game set at Brescia (Ky.) to open the season, and are looking for their first win of the season when they travel to Florida.
• Last year, Trinity Christian used a late run to reach the championship game of the CCAC Tournament, and earned their first berth into the NAIA Baseball Championship in program history.
• Danny Britt has gotten off to a strong start, leading TCC with a .444 average, and a .545 on-base percentage.
• The Trolls hold a 16-4 record against TIU dating back over the past eight seasons. Last season, TCC claimed a 18-0 win over the Trojans at the RussMatt Invitational, then won both meetings in conference play later in the year.
