WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. --- The Trinity International University baseball team took in the sun of south Florida in the past week as they took on a pair of Florida teams in a five game slate as part of spring break. Playing for the first time in nearly three weeks, the Trojans looked to rebound after dropping four straight at Blue Mountain College in Mississippi back in mid-February.

Trinity opened up spring break competition on Wednesday, March 4 with a doubleheader against the Florida National University Conquistadors. Adrian Rapier would get the start for the Trojans in the opener and pitched three and one-third innings, striking out four batter, but also walking four and allowing seven runs. 

Matt Latimer, Luis Henriquez, and Michael Luker each notched RBI singles in the opener, as Blake Lazaris and Ariel Soto each recorded home runs. FNU would drop six runs on the Trojans in the fourth inning and go on to hand TIU the 10-7 loss.

In game two against the Conquistadors, Mitch Apple got starting duties on the mound, and the Trojans continued their strong offensive output, scoring 11 runs against FNU. Julius Torres scored on a Latimer double and Emmanuel Andujar scored Latimer on a sacrifice fly to left field to give TIU an early lead. 

The Trojans took advantage of a depleted FNU bullpen and was able to rack up the scores on the Conquistadors, who committed seven errors in the games. TIU would end the night with an 11-5 victory on nine hits and only one error.

On Friday, March 6, Trinity opened up a doubleheader just down the Florida coast against the Seahawks of Keiser University, with Kurtis Sippy taking the mound for the Trojans. TIU struggled to score runs early as the Seahawks hung six runs on the Trojans in the first three innings. 

TIU cracked the scoreboard with Lance Loucheim grounding out to second to score Andujar, and Soto notching an RBI single to bring home Mat Pierson from third in the fourth inning. The Trojans would add four more runs in the fifth innings, but were unable to keep up with the high flying Seahawks as TIU dropped the opener 14-7.

Trinity would struggle in the second game of the doubleheader at Keiser as Nick Venegas got his shot on the mound. Keiser dropped 16 runs on the Trojans in the first six innings as TIU struggled to respond to make contact with the ball. 

TIU would score their only two runs of the game in the seventh inning with Luker scoring Domink Olech from third after being hit by a pitch, and Henriquez brought home Soto after a five pitch walk. TIU would drop their second game of the series by a final score of 16-2.

In the final game of their Florida road trip, the Trojans sent Sam Willis to the mound for the start. After an RBI single by Andujar to score Lazaris, Keiser flipped the switch and scored five unanswered runs over the first three innings. 

TIU would score again in the fifth with Brandon Durr scoring on a fielder's choice. The Seahawks would again dominate the offensive side of the game with seven runs over the final three innings to hand TIU the 13-2 loss.

Trinity returns to action on Friday, March 13 as they host the Judson Eagles in their Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) opener. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00PM at the TIU Baseball Field.

Trinity International University is a comprehensive, national university affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America and located in Bannockburn, Illinois, 25 miles north of Chicago. TIU educates men and women to engage in God's redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian faithfulness and lifelong learning.