Trinity baseball spent their spring break on the field, opening the series with a comeback 6-5 win over Tufts University on Friday, March 14 to snap the Jumbos’ five-game win streak. The Tigers’ momentum didn’t last, as Tufts’ bats dominated the Tigers 24-9 on Saturday, March 15. The Jumbos won the series in a 10-2 win on Monday, March 16, as the game slipped away from Trinity in the later innings.
Saturday, Game One
The opener of the series was close until the end. Tufts took an early 4-0 lead in the first three innings. Trinity responded by scoring two runs in the bottom of the third, thanks to a two-run single to center field from senior infielder Khalfani Coney. Trinity also added another run in the fourth.
Trinity saw its first lead of the day in the fifth inning after sophomore first baseman Will Baker brought junior outfielder Kaleb Woodward in. Baker then scored on sophomore pinch hitter Jack Henning’s RBI single through the infield. Tufts answered back in the seventh to tie the game 5-5 and the game was quiet until the bottom of the ninth.
In the ninth, Ramesy got on base with a leadoff walk. Then Woodward joined him with a bunt single. Baker worked the count to load the bases with a walk and put graduate student designated hitter Michael Lustina up at the plate. The Tigers started creeping onto the field, knowing the game was theirs, and Lustina slammed a single to left center field to score the winning run. Jones said the dugout knew Lustina was going to bring it home for the Tigers.
“A walk off is always so exciting in baseball,” Jones said. “Honestly, I feel like some of the guys weren’t even as excited, because we knew what was going to happen. Bases loaded, one out, Mikey [Lustina] is up, all right. This is gonna be a win. Some people started running on the field early, which was kind of nerve wracking, but it was awesome.”
Sophomore pitcher Will Taylor earned his second win of the season with 1 1/3 innings pitched, allowing no runs. Junior Jack Bussard kept Tufts’ score low, only allowing one run over four innings and earning six strikeouts.
Sunday, Game Two
Tufts won the second game 24-9 behind a dominant offensive performance. The Jumbos had 23 hits to the Tigers’ 11 during the game. Graduate student pitcher Will Hellings started on the mound and lasted 3 1/3 innings. He allowed seven runs on nine hits. After the Jumbos chased Hellings out of the game, the Tigers shuffled through eight different pitchers trying to stop the Jumbos, but no other reliever lasted more than 1 2/3 innings.
The Jumbos then scored seven runs in the top of the fourth, followed by six more in the fifth and sixth innings each.
“I’ve never seen any team be better with two strikes.” Jones said. “We just need to offensively, hit better with two strikes, and pitching wise, make better pitches with two strikes.”
The game’s fate was already sealed going into the bottom of the ninth, but the Tigers still swung the bat. With two outs, Trinity scored four runs on four hits, featuring a three-run homer from senior infielder Cam Champness.
“We were just playing with house money at that point, there’s no stress,” Jones said. “Realistically, we’re getting our butts kicked. If we can play with that level of carefreeness throughout the whole game. I think it turns into a whole different story.”
Monday, Game Three
On Monday, both teams looked to take the series. Tufts scored two runs early in the top of the first. Trinity responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Lustina started the rally with a double, and Coney drove in the Tigers’ first run of the game with a triple to the right field corner. Jones tied up the game 2-2 with a single to center field.
“I think that is a perfect kind of moment that shows our potential for this offense,” Woodward said. “We don’t have anything going, but we’re so capable. We have so much talent, and that was a good moment to get back to that game.”
The Tigers left the bases loaded in the sixth, and didn’t score for the rest of the game. Tufts broke the tie right after, and scored four more runs off of hits and Trinity’s errors. Tufts went on to score another run in the eighth and three more runs in the ninth.
“I feel like it’s such an emotional game.” Woodward said. “One thing can lead to another, you give them a little bit of energy, a little bit of hope, and things can spiral.”
Sophomore Matthew Azordegan started the game for the Tigers and went for 3 2/3 innings. He allowed one earned, and two unearned runs, had five strikeouts, five walks and three wild pitches. Junior Brandon Morio came in as relief for 2 1/3 innings, also struck out five, giving up two runs.
Trinity followed the series with a 16-3 run-rule win over Texas Lutheran University on Tuesday, March 17. Trinity continues their homestand with a three-game series against Millsaps College starting with a doubleheader on Friday, March 20, and ending on Saturday, March 21 at 12 p.m. The first game in Friday’s doubleheader starts at 4 p.m. and the second game starts at 7 p.m.
