WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Playing in warm weather for the first time since last fall, Trinity International dropped both ends of a doubleheader on Thursday afternoon to the Evangel (Mo.) Crusaders, 17-4 in game one, and 4-2 in game two. Despite the lopsided final score in the opener, the Trojans were competitive throughout most of the day, and led the Crusaders before a pair of big innings tilted the game in Evangel's favor.
Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2 | Season StatsFreshman
Edward Piotrowski and sophomore
Adam Gomski had the Trojans' best day at the plate, each going a combined 4-for-7 with an RBI over both games.
In the opener, Trinity took an early lead, when
Jon Debowey's single drove home freshman
Colt Foerch, who reached on a leadoff walk in the top of the 1st. The Trojans extended their lead in the 2nd, with
Evan Athanasiou's one-out groundout, bringing home
Joshua Burgos.
After a solo home run from Evangel in the bottom of the second made it a 2-1 ballgame, Piotrowski and Burgos put a crooked number on the board in the top of the 3rd, with a pair of singles that scored
Justin VanderNaald and
Joshua Crist.
The Crusaders took the lead in the 4th inning, scoring six runs on four hits while batting through the order; three players were hit by pitches to keep the inning alive for Evangel. EU put the game away for good in the sixth, however, scoring 10 runs to take a 17-4 lead en route to the win in game one.
Trinity fell behind 2-0 in the second game of the day, after Evangel scored runs in the top of the 1st and 3rd innings. Gomski put the Trojans on the board with a two-out single, allowing Foerch to score after reaching base on a fielder's choice and stealing second. TIU had leadoff hits in the 4th and 5th, including a double from Burgos, but weren't able to score the tying run.
Evangel scored a pair of insurance runs in the top of the 7th, which proved to be the difference as the Trojans scored a two-out run off Foerch's single in the bottom half of the frame. Foerch then stole his second bag of the day, but was stranded as the inning ended with the game-tying run at the plate.
Foerch now has reached base in all eight games this season, while Gomski is currently on a five-game streak, reaching base safely in each game he has appeared in this year.
The Trojans are back in action early tomorrow morning, when they take on No. 22 Point Park (Pa.) in a single nine-inning game. First pitch from Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Fla. is set for 8:30 a.m. Central Time.
