BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[frank_ezelle]

I should have mentioned that the LaGrange at Millsaps single game today has been moved up to 2 pm because of the higher chance of rain later in the afternoon.  That game can be heard and seen at this link:

http://atwsportscast.com/Colleges/Players/Millsaps%20College.htm

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity bats were as cold as the weather (44 & wet) as Hendrix rolls to a 5-0 victory today.   Kyle Felix's double was one of only three hits for the Tigers, and Ben Klimesh (6.2IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 9 K, 2BB) lost his first game of the year.   The Warriors' Teddy Smoyer went the entire way to even his record at 2-2, and Colin Radack was 3-for-4 with 2 doubles and a home run to lead Hendrix at the plate. 

[frank_ezelle]

The rest of the SCAC is thankful that the SCAC Tournament isn't in Conway--Hendrix is hard to beat on their home field (now 8-3 at home, 4-8 on the road).

Millsaps won another single game with LaGrange today and I believe the score was 12-7.  Aaron Williams got the win, Will Elmore pitched in relief.  I remember a Jules Roussel based loaded triple late that game Millsaps a nice cushion after LaGrange had started chipping away at the Millsaps lead. 

The two teams play the final game of the series tomorrow at noon Sunday.  Link to that video can be found on the SCAC schedule page:  http://www.scacsports.com/sports/bsb/2010-11/schedule

[svbbcoach]

Hendrix pulls it off again sweeping the 2 game set against Trinity coming from 4 runs down in the 7th to win 9-8. Now if Trinity can get back on track next weekend and do Hendrix a solid by sweeping Southwestern...

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity gets the bats going again with a pair of wins against Southwestern - and with Millsaps' loss in the second game at Austin tonight retakes the lead in the SCAC West.  

In the first game, Ben Klimesh (8-1) goes the distance, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out nine in seven innings of a 6-3 win.   Kyle Felix, Nick Pappas, and Kevin Jackson each had two hits.  Chris Churchwell (5.1 IP, 6 R/4 ER, 8 hits) fell to 3-4 with the loss. 

The second game was close early but 17 hits propelled the Tigers to an 11-5 victory.  Light-hitting Dylan Early went 4-4 from the 9-hole with 4 RBI and Christian Muscarello was 3-of-5 with his first home run of the season.  Starter Josh Fink (1-2) picked up his first win of the year, allowing four earned runs in six innings.   Matt Stuart (2-2), who got the win the first time he faced Trinity, picked up the loss after allowing six runs (four earned) in 5.1 innings.  

[frank_ezelle]

Southwestern's two losses put them very close to elimination regarding the SCAC Tournament and a loss today would put them right on the edge of elimination, especially if Millsaps rebounds for a Sunday win at Austin. 

Trinity at 11-5 has basically clinched a spot since 4th place Southwestern is 6-9.  Even if these teams both finished at 11-9, Trinity would have the head-to-head tiebreaker.  Southwestern has a much better chance of catching Hendrix (9-7) or Millsaps (9-5), especially since their last 4 games are against those two teams, but a loss today would really shrink SW's margin of error.

With Millsaps and Trinity having a 3-game series next weekend, they both will still control their destiny for 1st place in the SCAC West regardless of the outcomes today, but both would help their chances considerably with a win today. Millsaps would have definitely help their case yesterday if they had held on to the 10-9 lead provided by Josh Ordeneaux's grand slam in the top of the 8th, but Austin scored 2 in the bottom of the inning to eventually get the 11-9 victory.  Here's a link to the Millsaps story on yesterday's doubleheader at Austin College:

http://www.gomajors.com/news/2011/4/2/BB_0402111353.aspx

[frank_ezelle]

Here's the good news for Millsaps--Austin has already been eliminated from the SCAC Tournament.  It doesn't matter how poor a season Austin College is having, they seem to have Millsaps' number every year and I'm glad that Millsaps won't have to see then in the SCAC Tournament.

Millsaps is playing as the home team today because the 3rd game of the series in Jackson was rained out, and Austin leads 7-0 with Millsaps batting in the bottom of the 2nd.  Still plenty of time to get back in the game IF the Millsaps pitching staff can hold down the Austin hitters.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity trotted out Ryan Murphy for his first start of the year today.  Murphy was wild and had to be removed with only one out.  He was relieved by Matthew Tindall, who had to be pulled with two outs in the second.  The result was an 8-1 lead for Southwestern going into the bottom of the second, but the Tigers scored in every inning but the eighth to take a come-from-behind 14-8 victory over the Pirates. 

Michael Bentz stopped the bleeding with two out in the second and shut down the Pirates the rest of the way - 7.1 IP, 0 R, 7H, 7K, 1BB, by far his best and longest outing of the season - to get the win in relief, evening his record at 2-2.  Aaron Garza (1-2) picked up the loss.   It was a sloppy game with the teams combining for 11 errors (7 from Southwestern) - leading to three unearned Southwestern and five unearned Trinity runs. 

Kevin Jackson was 3-of-5 with 2 RBI for Trinity, who also got home runs from Kyle Felix (his 8th) and Dylan Early (his 2nd).   Nick Ashford was 5-for-5 for Southwestern with two RBI.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity finished up their home season last night with an 8-5 win over McMurry.   The schedule has been very friendly so far, but they'll play on the road the rest of the season starting with this weekend's important set of three games at Millsaps - the last regular season conference games for TU.  Next week will see the team head to Kerrville for a single at Schreiner, then up to Dallas for one game at Dallas Christan and two at future SCAC foe UDallas. 

As for last night's game, Tanner Barron got his first start of the year and pitched well for three innings as Trinity got out to 4-0 lead.  He ran into trouble in the fourth and was replaced by Noah Solomon (4-1), who went 4.2 and picked up the win.   McMurry got to within 4-3 (mid 4) and 5-4 (mid 5) before TU pulled away.   Kyle Felix had his second home run in as many days; Dominick Robusto went 3-of-4.   Starter Chris Maldonado (1-1) yielded four runs in three innings and was charged with the loss. 

[Ron Boerger]

According to a tweet from 'fastbatbb', Trinity 2b Nicholas Iacovella underwent hand surgery yesterday.  No details but there is at least some hope that he will be back in time for the tourney.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity clinches the SCAC West with two wins today at Millsaps.    In the first game, a seven inning affair, the Tigers jumped out to a 9-0 lead after five before the Majors chased starter (and eventual winner) Michael Bentz (3-2) with four runs in the bottom of the fifth.  Joshua Fink relived Bentz and held the Majors to one earned run the rest of the way.      Kyle Felix was 4-for-4 with 2 home runs.  Aaron Williams (5-2) yielded six runs in three innings and picked up the loss.

The second game was all Trinity as the visitors scored ten runs in the first six and eased to a 10-1 lead.    Starter Michael Panozzo went four innings, allowed one run on five hits, Chris Walden provided three innings of hitless relief, and home runs by Nick Pappas (6th HR), Will Donnan (a grand slam, his first HR), and Patrick Frasier (1st HR) resulted in eight runs.  Panozzo was credited with the win to go to 4-0.   Millsaps starter Will Elmore allowed eight runs (three earned) in 4.2 and fell to 2-3 on the season.

Ben Klimesh (8-1, 3.08) or Ryan Lucero (5-1, 3.55) are available to start for Trinity tomorrow.

[Ron Boerger]

The maddeningly inconsistent season continues for Trinity with a 8-7 loss at Schreiner (8-22).    Clayton Freimuth started, gave up three runs and had to be pulled with 2 outs in the opening stanza.  He got the loss (1-1), but his relief, Tanner Barron, also had to be pulled with one out in the second after allowing 4 runs (2 earned).    This time, the Tigers were unable to come back from a 7-0 deficit. 

Friday's game at Dallas Christian has been cancelled.  TU will finish up the regular season with two at UDallas on Saturday and Sunday. 

[svbbcoach]

Just arrived in Millington. Weather looks sketchy for the entire week. Warm and humid today with winds picking up!

[tigerfan_2001]

Just arrived in Millington. Weather looks sketchy for the entire week. Warm and humid today with winds picking up!

With the way Trinity is playing, I wouldnt mind the entire tournament getting rained out.  I think they get the bid because they have the best record in conference.

Just kidding....kind of.

[Lou Brown]

It has been quite on the board the last couple of weeks...maybe the calm before the SCAC Tourny Storm?

Anyways, time for some predictions. Last year OU was, wink, wink...a sleeper pick. I think that changes this year.

Day 1:
Rhodes over Hendrix: This should be a fun one to watch, but I think Rhodes has a ton of experience and all those close games this season will help them out this weekend.

DePauw over Millsaps: DePauw once again is hitting their stride at the right time. They have 3 solid pitchers and enough bats to win this thing.

Trinity over OU: Tigers just too much for the Petrels in this one.

Day 2:
Hendrix over Millsaps: Millsaps is the first team eliminated this year.

OU over Rhodes: The 3 game series in Atlanta was as close as it gets with 3 one-run games...no difference here as OU stays alive with a narrow victory.

Trinity over Depauw: Rematch of last years title game, Texas Tigers continue to march.

Day 3:
DePauw over Rhodes: Rhodes swept the season series, but DePauw gets the last laugh here. Rhodes is eliminated.

Hendrix over OU: Hendrix starts to get the mojo going and wins this one in a battle of 3 seeds.

Trinity over Depauw: Trinity beats DePauw for the second straight day to eliminate the Indiana Tigers.

Day 4:

Hendrix wins game one to force the winner takes all game. Trinity finally gets over the Hendrix hump and wins the 2011 SCAC title.