DEERFIELD, Ill. – Right fielder
Jon Debowey was a double away from the cycle, while pitcher
A.J. Bruner earned his eighth win of the season Wednesday afternoon, most in the CCAC, as Trinity International split a doubleheader with the Calumet St. Joseph Crimson Wave, taking game one 8-5 before falling to a late rally from the visitors in the nightcap, 13-7.
Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2 | Season Stats
Debowey went a combined 6-for-8 at the plate over both games, hitting his seventh and eighth home runs of the season to move into a tie for the conference lead. The senior drove in three RBI in the first game of the day, beginning with a two-run blast that put the Trojans (19-20-1, 7-13-1 CCAC) in the lead during the bottom of the first.
The Crimson Wave (5-40, 4-20 CCAC) responded with a two-run home run of their own in the second, but Trinity would score once in the 3rd and four times in the 4th to take a commanding lead.
Michael Balistreri's two-out single scored Debowey to edge TIU back in front.
With two straight singles to lead off the 4th followed by a fielding error,
Jeff Lindberg drove in two more runs with a single through the right side of the infield, scoring
Colt Foerch and
Justin VanderNaald. Debowey's triple and a base hit from
Adam Vignola with two outs added to the rally, as the Trojans claimed an 8-2 lead through four innings.
Calumet added two runs in the top of the fifth and one in the sixth to climb back to within three, but Bruner closed out the game by retiring the side in order in the 7th. The senior finished with eight strikeouts in the win, one shy of his career high.
In the second game of the day, the Trojans used a pair of three-run rallies in the 5th and 6th innings to claim a 7-2 lead, highlighted by Debowey's second homer of the afternoon, but the Crimson Wave battled back, tying the game in the 8th before scoring six runs in the 9th to take the victory. Vignola went 2-for-5 in game two, with a triple and his third home run of the year.
The Trojans will hit the road on Friday, to begin a three-game set with the Robert Morris Eagles. First pitch in the series opener is set for 5:00 p.m. from the Redmond Athletic Complex in Bensenville, Ill.
