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This Week    
 • The Trojans open conference play this week, starting with a three-game series with the St. Xavier Cougars. TIU and SXU start the set on Friday afternoon in Deerfield with a single nine-inning contest. On Saturday, the Trojans and Cougars will meet in Chicago for a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m.

Last Time Out    
 • Trinity made their first ever appearance at the Historic Dodgertown Invitational last week, earning a 5-6 record during the trip.
 • A.J. Bruner picked up two wins in three appearances, posting a 1.31 ERA. Bruner helped lead the Trojans to wins over Penn State-Beaver and Rochester (Mich.), while throwing a team-high 20.2 innings over three complete-game starts.
 • At the plate, Jon Grotelueschen led the Trojans with a .419 average, going 13-for-31 during his time in Florida. The senior center fielder drove in 11 RBI, scored nine runs, and worked the count to draw 12 walks, all team highs during the trip.
 • Trinity went 4-2 over the final six games of the trip, sweeping a doubleheader against Penn State-Beaver, and taking two of three against Rochester (Mich.). The Trojans also secured the team's first extra-inning victory of the year in the Dodgerdown opener, 9-3 over The Apprentice School (Va.) in 11 innings.

All-Time Series vs. St. Xavier    
 • The Cougars hold a 19-5 record over the Trojans, dating back to 2015.
 • The Trojans last defeated St. Xavier in 2011, in a doubleheader sweep in Chicago, 8-2 and 4-1. SXU have claimed the last ten contests against Trinity.

Conference Leaders    
 • As a team, the Trojans boast the second-highest batting average in the CCAC this season, hitting at a .307 clip. Trinity also ranks second in on-base percentage, at .393.
 • On the mound, TIU ranks 4th in the CCAC with a 3.93 ERA, and has 83 strikeouts, good for 5th in the league.
 • Senior pitcher A.J. Bruner currently leads the CCAC with 41.2 innings pitched. Bruner is also 2nd in the league with 31 strikeouts, and 8th in ERA, at 1.73.
 • Outfielder Jon Debowey is 2nd in the CCAC with seven doubles this season. The senior has the team's highest slash line, leading in all three categories (.422/.519/.622).

Last Year vs. St. Xavier    
 • In the first of a three-game series scheduled as a matchup at home, Trinity International was forced to hit the road, falling at St. Xavier 17-6, as the TIU Baseball Field continues to dry out from recent thunderstorms.
 • The Trojans had a strong day at the plate, as ten different players reached base in the game. An SXU rally in the 4th inning proved to be the difference however, as the Cougars put nine runs on the board.
 • In game two, Ryan Helmeid allowed just two earned runs over six innings, but TIU struggled offensively in both games of a doubleheader at St. Xavier, falling to the Cougars 2-1 and 12-2.

Player of the Week    
 • Senior pitcher A.J. Bruner was selected as the CCAC Pitcher of the Week on Mar. 16, earning the league's first weekly award of the season. Bruner was also named the NCCAA National Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career.
 • The Evansville, Ind. native threw two seven-inning complete games, leading the Trojans to victories over Penn State-Beaver and Rochester (Mich.). In his two outings, Bruner allowed just one earned run for a 0.64 ERA, striking out 10 batters while walking two.

Trojans in the Polls     
 • TIU Baseball appeared in the NCCAA National Rankings this week, moving into the No. 10 spot in the poll.
 • The ranking is the Trojans' first appearance in the NCCAA poll since 2010. Trinity reached as high as No. 4 in the national rankings on Mar. 30, 2010, after starting the season 15-8.
 • The Trojans are have yet to earn a spot in the NAIA Coaches' Poll, dating back to the poll's debut in 1998.

TIU Baseball History    
 • Since 2006, Trinity Baseball has an all-time record of 181-273 (.398). The Trojans have two winning seasons during that span, in 2007 (28-20) and in 2010 (30-23).
 • Trinity's last appearance in the CCAC Tournament came in 2011, when the Trojans reached the CCAC Championship game, ultimately falling to St. Francis.
 • The Trojans made three straight appearances in the NCCAA Tournament from 2005-07, their last appearances in the national tourney.

Up Next    
 • The Trojans continue the early-season conference schedule next week with a pair of home dates. Trinity will host Indiana-South Bend for a double-header on Wednesday, March 23, starting at 1:30 p.m. On Friday, TIU will start a three-game set with the Judson Eagles. Friday's single game from Deerfield is set for 2:00 p.m., while Saturday's double-header at Judson will get underway at 1:00 p.m.