PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. --- The Trojans traveled to Trinity Christian College for their latest CCAC doubleheader yesterday afternoon. Splitting the two games, TIU secured the victory by one run in the first game while dropping the second game by the same margin.
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Game One: TIU 7, Trinity Christian 6
Three and a half innings passed before the first run was scored by TIU in the bottom of the fourth. Blake Lazare led off taking his base after being hit by the pitch, then used his speed to steal second and third. A sacrifice hit by Ethan Oskroba earned the RBI as Lazaris crossed home plate.
Trinity Christian answered quickly with two runs from three hits in the top of the fifth inning, including a 2 RBI home run.
Held to three batters in the top of the fifth, the Trojans took the field again and after giving up an error, gave another run to the Trolls.
Tying the score in the bottom of the sixth inning, TIU scored two runs after Jose Matos walked to his base and Lazaris followed with a double to set up two runners on base. Oskroba sailed a double into right field and brought both runners back to the dugout, 3-3.
The Trolls rallied around the plate to start the seventh inning, collecting four hits and three runs to take the lead again, 3-6.
Down by three runs, TIU forced a pitching change after a back to back walk and hit by pitch. Jose Matos singled up the middle to load the bases and Lazaris stepped up to bat. Lazaris reached by fielder's choice, but earned one run for the Trojans. After another hit by pitch, Oskobra stepped up again and singled through the middle for two more RBI and tied the score. Samuel Edington reached first on an error, allowing time for Christian MacKenzie to score the game winning run.
Senior Dominik Olech is credited with the win from the mound.
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Game Two: TIU 1, Trinity Christian 2
Both teams started off scoring in the first inning before cooling off at the plate the remainder of the game.
Luis Henriquez led off for the Trojans, taking his base after being walked. Jose Matos singled and advanced Henriquez to second. Shortly after, Andrew Johnson also hit a single, earning an RBI as Henriquez scored on the play.
Trinity Christian collected two singles early in the inning, and capitalized on a couple of Trojan errors to take the 2-1 lead that would hold until the end of the game.
Throughout the remainder of the game, both teams played solid defense but struggled at the plate as they collected a total of twelve hits on minimal batters each.
At the bottom of the fourth inning, Trinity Christian connected for three hits but failed to convert against the Trojan defense and left three on base.
On offense, the Trojans were held to three batters in the fifth and sixth innings, while giving the Trolls similar treatment from the mound.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Trojans had two consecutive fly outs before a walk got Seth Lewallen on first. Hoping to move him around the bases, Alfonso Gomez stepped up to the plate next but the Trolls outfield secured the third out.
At the bottom of the seventh inning, TIU returned the favor with two consecutive outs before allowing a runner on base, then securing the third out from the outfield.
The final inning and half was as quiet and routine as the previous few innings as there was just one hit by either team, a single from Brady Popovich.
Another three up and three down by the Trojans in the top of the ninth inning ended the game in defeat, 1-2.
Up Next:
The Trojan's (16-30, 5-2) are at home on Monday, May 2nd for a split doubleheader against Trinity Christian College and Saint Ambrose University.Â
Visit TIUtrojans.com to stay up to date with the latest TIU baseball 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.
