BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Ron Boerger]

Frank, with Trinity's late-season swoon (0-3 the last week of regular season play) I don't think they have much of a chance for a Pool C.    32-13 sounds pretty iffy and there's not a lot of quality wins in that 32.  

Lucero held the Lynx to one hit the rest of the way, and with the Trinity bats being understandably out of sync, it's a good thing.   Bentz gets the W, Lucero the save, and Jackson Baker the complete game loss despite pitching what had to be one of his best outings of the year - 8 IP, 3 H, 4ER, 9K, 3 BB.   One 'bad' inning cost him the W today.     The only extra base hit for either team today came from Rhodes' Lynden Pindling, a two-out double in the seventh which was the only hit Lucero gave up.

Pretty clear that Trinity will start Klimesh tomorrow.   For now, time for the Tigers to get a well-deserved good dinner and good night's sleep.  

[etg]

(El Tea Gray--re: Are the Trinity Tigers rabid about this SCAC Baseball Championship?)


Ron,
The Tigers must be "rabid or something" about this SCAC Baseball Tournament Championship; Michael Bentz having "bitten" a Rhodes batsman (your post #5005). All kidding aside, you have done a great job as usual in covering this and many other SCAC Tournaments on Post Patterns. Congratulations, as well as, on your 5000th post; here are hopes for many, many more posts for you.

P.S.  Cannot wait for 2011 Trinity Football; hope you feel the same. Saint Nick (Nyk) should be back for his second season for the Tigers (this time ?? as the starter).


                                                                 

[Ron Boerger]

Hendrix handles DPU 8-1 (It think) and is facing Rhodes in a rematch of game 1 to see who will advance to tomorrow's championship round.  

Starter for Rhodes is Jacob Long (0-0, 4.26, 4 GS/6 App, 19 IP, .303 OBA)
The Warriors will respond with Teddy Smoyer (2-2, 2.52, 8 GS/10 App, 50.1 IP, .242 OBA)

From those stats it would appear advantage Hendrix, but that's why they play the games.

And yes, etg, along with all Trinity fans I am hoping for better things on the football field in 2011.

[Ron Boerger]

It'll be Hendrix v Trinity for the championship after the Warriors get an easy win over Rhodes, 7-2.   Smoyer gets a complete game win, allowing four hits.  Rhodes committed four errors in the loss.   Jeff Forgerson was 3-4 with a dinger to lead Hendrix. 

[Ron Boerger]

After two complete, Trinity 7, Hendrix 0.  Ben Klimesh started for Trinity and has allowed 2H, 1BB, and 2K so far.   Will Harris started for the Warriors and allowed alll seven Tiger runs.   He was removed in favor of Jordan Suydam with two out in the second.

Nick Pappas is 2-2 with 4 RBI in early going, and Will Donnan has the other 3 RBI on a hit and a sac fly.  

EDIT:  Trinity adds two in the top of the fourth; it's now 9-0 after four as the Warriors went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.  Donnan added another RBI to his total with a two-out double.  This came after Christian Muscarello singled in Kevin Calbick, who started the rally with a two-out double of his own.     Klimesh now up to 4K and has allowed 3 hits.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity wins the SCAC with today's 9-1 victory.  Ben Klimesh (10-2) scattered eight hits in the complete game, notched ten strikeouts (101 for the year) while allowing one run and four walks.  Nick Pappas was 4-for-5 with 4 RBI and Will Donnan went 3-for-4 with 4 RBI.   Jacob Perschke led the Warriors with a 2-for-3 performance from the plate and scored Hendrix' only run.  Will Harris fell to 1-5 after allowing 7 runs in 1.2 innings.      Hendrix dropped to 8-4 all-time in SCAC conference play.  

[frank_ezelle]

Trinity and Birmingham Southern College were clearly the top two programs in the SCAC this year, and with BSC ineligible for postseason play, the SCAC has their strongest possible contender going on to the NCAA Tournamen.  Good luck to the Tigers and hopefully the travel situation won't be as disadvantageous as it was last year.

[Ralph Turner]

Trinity and Birmingham Southern College were clearly the top two programs in the SCAC this year, and with BSC ineligible for postseason play, the SCAC has their strongest possible contender going on to the NCAA Tournamen.  Good luck to the Tigers and hopefully the travel situation won't be as disadvantageous as it was last year.

It won't be.  Trinity makes the trip to Abilene almost every season.  McMurry's Driggers Field is well known to most Trinity veterans.

[frank_ezelle]

Excellent--glad to hear the West Region isn't being held in the distant Northwest this year. 

[ILVBB]

For the last 5+ years, Trinity has visited McMurray, including the 2008 regional. For some reason (I think it fits their eye) they have always hit very well. In that this team wins when they hit, let's hope that history repeats itself. Since 2007, in games played at McMurray, including the regional, they have averaged more than 11 hits per game. McMurry is a field that favors teams that hit the ball hard.

[Ron Boerger]

LOL, there is a certain amount of similarity between what I posted and what's currently shown on the SCAC summary of this game, to wit:

"Ben Klimesh (10-2) scattered eight hits in the complete game, as the SCAC Co-Pitcher of the Year notched 10 strikeouts while allowing one run and four walks. He became just the eighth player in Trinity history to reach 100+ strikeouts (101) in a single season with his Easter Sunday performance. Junior outfielder Nick Pappas was 4-for-5 with four runs driven in and senior first baseman Will Donnan also drove in four while going 3-for-4 at the plate.

First-year third baseman Jacob Perschke led the Warriors with a 2-for-3 performance and scored Hendrix' only run. First-year pitcher Will Harris fell to 1-5 after allowing seven runs in 1.2 innings."

I guess there's only so many ways to summarize a game in a few sentences.     Expect a more complete writeup from our friends at the SCAC front office later tonight.  

[Ron Boerger]

Here's the all-tourney team.  As you might expect, Trinity dominates the list.  Glad to see Hunter Chandler was honored, too:

Pos. Name, School Tournament Stats
C Kyle Felix, Trinity .333 (5-15) – 2 2B, 3 RBI, 4R, .667 SLG%, .353 OB%, 1.020 OPS
1B Will Donnan, Trinity .455 (5-11) – 1 2B, 5 RBI, 1R, .545 SLG%, .417 OB%, .962 OPS
2B Clark Sims, Hendrix .412 (7-17) – 2 RBI, 7R, 5BB .412 SLG%, .600 OB%, 1.012 OPS
SS Christian Muscarello, Trinity .417 (5-12) – 1 2B, 1 RBI, 4R, .500 SLG%, .533 OB%, 1.033 OPS
3B Jacob Perschke, Hendrix .368 (7-19) – 5 RBI, 5R, 3BB, .368 SLG%, .455 OB%, .823 OPS
OF Kevin Calbick, Trinity .462 (6-13) – 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 5R, .769 SLG%, .563 OB%, 1.332 OPS
OF Zach Galyean, DePauw .444 (4-9) – 1 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3R, 1.222 SLG%, .444 OB%, 1.666 OPS
OF Jeff Pope, Oglethorpe .417 (5-12) – 1 RBI, 1R, 2BB, 2 SB, .417 SLG%, .467 OB%, .884 OPS
DH Nick Pappas, Trinity .357 (5-14) – 3 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4R, .786 SLG%, .375 OB%, 1.161 OPS
P Ben Klimesh, Trinity 1-0 – 10.0 IP, 1 ER, 0.90 ERA, 1S, 11 K, .222 Opp BA, 1.50 WHIP
P Hunter Chandler, Rhodes 0-0 – 10.2 IP, 1 ER, 0.84 ERA, 4 K, .220 Opp BA, 1.41 WHIP

full SCAC release:  http://scacsports.com/sports/bsb/2010-11/releases/11bsb_all_tourney_team.pdf

[infielddad]

Trinity truly has  top tier DIII talent in this senior class and just about everyone below.  
Despite the obvious struggles in other programs, which certainly isn't because they don't have top coaches who are working very hard, Coach Scannell and his staff have seemingly elevated the baseball program to a very high level.
It isn't high enough,however, until they compete in Appleton.
With all that said, just like  about every SCAC champion, Trinity has a player who stepped up from relative obscurity and made a difference.
Kevin Clements had key AB's and RBI's against both DePauw and Rhodes.  While he battled for playing time as the season progressed, with Trinity having 2 terrific freshman middle infielders, Clements really stepped up in the SCAC. I love seeing stuff like that and thought those big time contributions could use some recognition.

[Ron Boerger]

Something a little different:  Red Sox P Josh Beckett interview where he talks about his off-season workouts at Trinity:  http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/04/15/beckett-opens-up-on-youth-off-season-workouts/

[donotknowscac]

Congratulations to the SCAC baseball Student-Athletes named to the Capital One Academic District Team.
First Team
Hunter Chandler, Rhodes, 3.97 GPA, 1.48 ERA
Sam Hill, BirmSou, 3.67 GPA, .392 BA
Nick Pappas, Trinity, 3.51 GPA, .356 BA

Second Team
Josh Conlee, Milsaps, 3.50 GPA, 5.31 GPA

Nice to see the hard work they put in be rewarded.

http://www.scacsports.com/sports/bsb/2010-11/releases/academic_all_district