BANNOCKBURN, Ill. --- After playing their home games in Wheeling for the past four seasons, Trojan softball returned to the Deerfield campus on Wednesday afternoon as TIU hosted the Olivet Nazarene University Tigers for a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) doubleheader. After sweeping Clarke in a non-conference set last week, the Trojans looked to continue their momentum of seven straight wins against a formidable conference opponent.
Hailey Baker started on the mound for Trinity in game one and held the Tigers at bay through the first two innings before giving up the game's first run on a passed ball. After ONU scored again on a Haley Dobson RBI double in the top of the fourth, TIU went to work as Brooke Heraty tied the game at two runs a piece with a two-run double to bring home Heather Anderson and Britney Knox.
After a nearly one hour lighting delay, the teams returned to the field, where the starting pitchers continued to put on a clinic, posting scoreless fifth and sixth innings. It would however be the top of the seventh that spelled trouble for the Trojans, who gave up the go-ahead run on an Alli Davis single to center, followed by a Sydney Harrison grand slam to center field, handing the Trojans the tough 7-2 loss late.
In game two, Alyssa Frey took on starting pitching duties looking to split the afternoon for Trinity. Frey would have good command over her pitches, but ultimately gave up five total runs on eight hits through the first six frames. With the sun setting, the Trojans would strike back as Heraty knocked in her second double of the day, scoring Anderson to put TIU on the board 5-1 in the bottom of the sixth.
Off the bench, Kayla Stacy would reach first base on an error by the ONU second baseman, allowing Heraty to score in the sixth. Madison Lenzke followed that up by providing another spark for the Trojan offense with an RBI single to right center to bring Stacy across home plate. At the end of the sixth inning, the game was suspended due to darkness.
Under CCAC rules, the final inning of game two must be completed with light for the game to be counted toward either team's record. A date for the final inning to be played between the Trojans and Tigers will be announced at a later time.
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ADDITIONAL GAME NOTES
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With their game one loss, TIU falls to 1-25 all-time against the Tigers.
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After falling in game one, the Trojans have now lost 22 straight games to Olivet Nazarene.
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Hailey Baker's loss in game one drops her record on the season to 6-3, snapping a five-game winning streak as a pitcher.
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Trinity struck out six times in game one, while the Tigers only struckout twice.
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At the time of game two's suspension of play, Alyssa Frey stood at 106 pitches, having struck out six ONU batters.
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Brooke Heraty led TIU with four hits in seven plate appearances, with a pair of doubles and two runs scored on the afternoon.
UP NEXT
The Trojans (9-8) return to the diamond on Friday, April 9 as they visit the Roosevelt University Lakers in a CCAC doubleheader at The Ballpark At Rosemont. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00pm and can be followed LIVE on Roosvelt's Live Stats.
Visit TIUtrojans.com to stay up to date with the latest TIU softball news and schedule updates.
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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.
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