DAVENPORT, Iowa. — Yesterday afternoon the Trojans hit the road for their first game in over three weeks as they opened conference play against the Fighting Bees of St. Ambrose University. The games originally slated to happen in Wheeling, Illinois were forced to the Ambrose Dome in the face of inclement weather conditions. Playing as the visiting team on their home turf, the Fighting Bees swept TIU as they claimed victory in both games of the doubleheader.


Game One: TIU 0, St. Ambrose 10
In the initial three innings, Trinity collected a trio of hits but struggled to create consistent momentum as the Fighting Bees flitted out in front by three runs. Izabella Hernandez and Alisyn Fullingim both recorded singles while Ashley Griffith collected her first double.

St. Ambrose's defense showed cracks in the fifth inning as three Trojans were sent walking. A pitching substitution changed their foe's fortune, leaving three on base for TIU as the Trojans wrestled to connect with the fresh pitcher. In what would be the final inning, the Bees scored three more runs in the top of the sixth before the Trojans ended the inning with a bang on a double play.

Fighting against the run-rule, the Trojans pushed for extra innings but fell short as they recorded just one hit in the bottom of the sixth inning as Josie Nelson sent a single to left field.

Freshman Haley Slakymaker got her third start from the circle, taking the loss for Trinity as she went for five innings with three strikeouts. Fellow freshman Jenna McIntyre came in as a relief for the final inning.


Game Two:  TIU 3, St. Ambrose 7
Despite looking to turn things around in the second game, the Trojan offense was kept in check as the Fighting Bees rotated their pitching staff. The first signs of momentum came in the bottom of the second as Izabella Hernandez was sent walking, then stole second base. Waverly Swanstrom also took her base before Haley Slaymaker stepped up with a bunt single to advance the runners into scoring position. Unfortunately, the Bees defense stood tall and closed the inning with a line out.

Trailing by three entering the top of the second, the Trojan defensive pressure lapsed as the Bees went hot at the plate, recording two doubles and a triple to increase their lead to six runs.

In the fifth inning, St. Ambrose scored one more before the Trojans offense ignited. Slaymaker took her base after being hit by the pitch, and after a stolen base and wild pitch crossed home plate. Alayla Thornton and Heather Anderson recorded back to back singles and drew a pitching change from the Bees. Anderson stole second before Hernandez cracked a base hit towards right field, earning two RBI. Josie Nelson collected the final hit of the inning before St. Ambrose tightened the screws to close out the inning.

The remaining two innings went scoreless with just four hits between the two sides. Jenna McIntyre threw a complete game for the Trojans, collecting six strikeouts in total and three in the final two innings.

The Trojans(2-14, 0-2) face the University of St. Francis in a doubleheader this afternoon at 3:30pm for a rescheduled game originally slated for this weekend, but adjusted due to forecasted weather.

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TIU Trojans
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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.