BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[108 Stitches]

Trinity took a pair from UofDallas and they looked like a number 1 team, for most of the day. (see below for the exceptions) They took the first game 9-1, Klimesh did not have his best stuff but it did not matter and they cruised to an easy victory with good hitting and outstanding defense. They kept the pressure on and when Dallas made a couple of mistakes they really made them pay.

In game 2, and looking to the future Coach Scannell started a promising freshmen and the team was up 8-3 through 5.  They went to the bullpen that had not thrown much this year, and they almost gave it back. Some timely hits and a couple of throwing errors by a pitcher who was out all last year, and Dallas tied it up in the 7th. Christian Muscarello, as he has often done this year, bailed them out with his 6th home run in the bottom of the 8th and Michael Bentz took care of the rest and got the win.

It was a good day for the Tigers who dominated the way they should, and when the momentum was going the other way late in the game, they took control and went on for the win. A number of the pitchers who had not thrown much got some needed work in, and most importantly I liked their approach at the plate, much much better than previous outings. Defense was also outstanding, with a number of great plays.

I imagine Lucero will get the start tomorrow.

[Ron Boerger]

Lucero did get the start, gave up a home run that was apparently *just* fair in the first ... Trinity chased UD starter Andrew Bossert with two runs in the first, one each in the second and third, all with two outs.  4-1 going to the top of the fourth. 

EDIT:  Two more Trinity runs with two out in the bottom of the sixth extend the lead to 7-1.  The HR is the only hit allowed so far by Lucero.   UD pitchers have hit five or six TU batters in this game. 

[likeamonkey]

The HR and double that Lucero allowed to Thornton yesterday were only the 2nd and 3rd extra base hits that he has allowed this season.  In 166.1 career innings, Lucy has only allowed 19 extra base hits, a staggeringly low 12% of his total hits allowed. 

Having a guy like this as your Sunday starter is a huge boon for Trinity, and it's a demoralizing reality for any opponent to have to start a Saturday against Klimesh and conclude a weekend by facing an equally effective pitcher in Lucero.

[108 Stitches]

Ron I am responding to a post over in the ASC thread.

Trinity beat UMHB soundly last night 9-3. Scannell went to pitcher by committee to get some other guys work. Barron started, relieved by Bay (who got the W). A little "mid week pen" work for Klimesh and then Bogese. I think it was a sound strategy to get some more innings for the other pitchers the team will need later in the season. UMHB was up 3-0 until the bottom of the 4th with TU tied it and pulled away scoring runs in the 5th 6th and 7th. Daniels the UMHB starter did a good job keeping the Tigers off balance until they finally figured him out in the 4th. TU did what good teams do and made UMHB pay for a couple of errors, one in the 5th and 6th which gave them the lead, and momentum. TU has a rare weekend off and gets back at it on Tuesday with a double header at Hardin-Simmons.

[donotknowscac]

Should be a good series to watch in Memphis this weekend as Birm. South. travels up to Rhodes.

Since going to the 3 game conference schedule, the best Rhodes could muster the last three years is 1-2 record at best for the weekend.
This year Birm. South. is batting 30 pts. higher and their team ERA is better by about 1.30.  And Maxwell is crushing the ball.

Rhodes has gotten some really good starting pitching this year as Carden and Baker have lengthened out their outings and have been pitching really well. 

The first couple of games may be decided by who kicks the ball around the least.  Birm. South. looks to be winning statistically in this category too.

Birm. South. had their 13 game winning streak broken last night by Emory. 

Rhodes got back on track vs. Hendrix after going 2-1 at Centre.

Rhodes needs to win this series to have a chance at first it looks like.

I saw Millsaps went 2-1 at Oglethorpe this past weekend, so the dog fight for first is on in the East.

I don't think any team would want to finish third and have to play Trinity to start the SCAC tourney.

[Ron Boerger]

Dang it, 108, I was typing this as your reply got posted.   

Trinity was held in check for a few innings last night but after trailing 3-0 came back strong in a 9-3 win against UMHB.   Tanner Barron got the start but after giving up two runs in the top of the fourth was relieved by Franklin Bay, who pitched 2 1/3rd innings of no-hit ball to get his first win of the season.  Ben Klimesh pitched a couple of innings in relief, allowing one hit and striking out four, and Kyle Bogese faced the minimum in the ninth to secure the team's 23rd win.  Next up is a DH in Abilene against Hardin-Simmons, a team that has had a very up-and-down season can be dangerous nonetheless.

Great minds, eh? 

I was looking at the latest NCAA stats this morning.  Hendrix is all over the offensive charts (.337 BA, 8.5 runs/game, .478 SP, 50 HBP among other stats) and the series in Arkansas in a couple of weeks should be very entertaining.  B-SC has a pitching staff with a better ERA than Trinity (barely) and a guy in Bruce Maxwell that is hitting .551, a slugging percentage just over 1, and has already received 31 walks.   The two schools don't play in the regular season, but if they meet up in the conference championships, it could be a battle of epic proportions. 

[108 Stitches]

I agree with the above posts. Hendrix is going to be a challenge for Trinity, first tough away series.... looking at their schedule maybe for the season. (other than the first early weekend at CTX)

BSC is shaping into the team that many thought they would be, but fell down a bit, and is now playing well. It would not surprise anyone to see TU and BSC battle for the SCAC crown. A few other very good teams that will have a say in this, so this is not a foregone conclusion by any means. I would not want to face either one of these teams as a first round opponent.

Trinity does not have any position players that really stand out statistically like last year. They really play as a team and are pretty sound up and down the line up. They just grind away at pitchers until they finally figure them out. They also score a lot of runs with two outs, which can be very demoralizing for an opponent.  Even when they are down they just keep coming at you. They are very sound defensively and even when they do make a mistake their pitching is so good it usually does not hurt them too much. A perfect example of this was last night; both teams made two errors and it cost UMHB three runs and none for TU.

[Ron Boerger]

BSC's Maxwell named "hitter of the week" by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association; see http://scacsports.com/sports/bsb/2011-12/releases/maxwell_ncbwa_potw_week4

.667 (10-15) with five doubles, two HR and eight RBI; 21 total bases, and a 1.267 slugging percentage; .792 OBP; 2.059 OPS. 

Totally obscene. 

[Ron Boerger]

KABB (San Antonio FOX TV affiliate) did a story on Trinity last week - here's the video:

http://bit.ly/H4f0SE

Interesting that Coach Scannell says this is among his "least talented" teams, with the exception of the pitching staff.  At the end of this story they say they'll followup with a story on Klimesh and Lucero; as soon as they post it, I'll include it here.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity splits a DH in Abilene, falling 3-2 in the opener on a bases-loaded, walkoff single in the bottom of the seventh.  Ben Klimesh (9-1) picked up his first loss of the season as Trinity could only scratch out four hits.

The roles were reversed in the second game as it was Ryan Lucero (8-0) holding the Cowboys to four hits in a 5-1 complete game win.   The Tigers only had eight hits themselves, but Nick Pappas delivered in the clutch with two hits and three RBI. 

There'll be a new #1 team next week  though #2 Marietta is currently down v Mt Union, 5-3.

[Ron Boerger]

Turns out #2 and #5 lost yesterday, too, so we'll see about the rankings.  Meanwhile:

@SCAC Sports ‏Congrats to Millsaps baseball coach Jim Page on becoming 20th active DIII coach w/ 600 career wins & 36th all-time to do so

[frank_ezelle]

Turns out #2 and #5 lost yesterday, too, so we'll see about the rankings.  Meanwhile:

@SCAC Sports ‏Congrats to Millsaps baseball coach Jim Page on becoming 20th active DIII coach w/ 600 career wins & 36th all-time to do so

Story on the Millsaps game and Coach Page's 600th win:  http://gomajors.com/news/2012/4/4/BB_0404125214.aspx

[Ron Boerger]

Three Trinity errors and a balk result in five unearned runs and Southwestern gets the upset in the first game of a DH, 6-2.  Pirates outhit the Tigers 10-6.    Michael Bentz (2-1) gets the loss for Trinity, allowing 3 runs (1 earned) in 3 2/3; Chris Webber improves to 2-3 with his best effort of the year, going all the way for Southwestern. 

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity loses the second game 9-7.  They led 3-0 before starter Zach Speer (who had a no-hitter through four; 0-2) tired, allowing 1 run in the bottom of the fifth and four in the sixth before being relieved.   Southwestern would put six runs on the board in that inning as Trinity went through a total of four pitchers before retiring the side.   The Tigers' furious attempt at a comeback in the top of the ninth (which they entered trailing 9-3) ended with the winning run at the plate with two out before a harmless groundout to 1B.   

Southwestern starter Matt Stuart lasted until the ninth, allowing six hits and six earned runs in picking up his second win in ten total decisions. 

The upcoming series at Hendrix just took on a whole new dimension.

[Ron Boerger]

Ben Klimesh goes seven innings and Trinity gets an eight-inning, 10-0 run-rule victory today at Southwestern.