SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Taj Donald tossed a career-best eight-plus innings, retiring 19 straight batters at one point, while
Charlie Teel posted two hits and four RBIs and
Zach Fortman's three-run homer capped a six-run second inning in Sewanee's 8-3 victory over Trinity University in the opener of Saturday's baseball doubleheader in San Antonio, Texas.
The Tigers missed a chance to sweep the twinbill, with Trinity scoring two runs on a wild pitch in the seventh inning and Khalfani Coney driving in the winning run with a single in the eighth, salvaging the second game for the home team, 5-4.
The two teams play the final game of the series Sunday at 11 a.m. CT.
GAME ONE
Donald (2-2) allowed three runs, all in the second inning, on seven hits. He did not walk or hit a batter and struck out five. The junior righthander retired the side in order in the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings and was helped by a leaping grab at the wall in leftfield by
John Bagwell in the sixth.
The Tigers scored six runs in the second inning and added two more in the eighth on a two-run single from Teel, who collected a two-run double in the second inning. Sewanee recorded 14 hits in the victory, including two apiece by Aiden Petrocco,
Tyler Pinson,
Will Jennewein,
Owen Andress and
Sebastian Leinberger. Andress and Leinberger each scored twice.
The Tigers stranded a pair of runners in the first inning but struck for six runs on seven hits in the second to take control of the contest.
Jennewein and Andress started the inning with singles and Leinberger's single through the right side plated a run. Petrocco reached on a bunt single and Teel followed with a two-run double to leftcenter. Fortman capped the scoring with a three-run homer to right, his fourth of the season.
Trinity answered in the bottom of the inning after a leadoff single by Sawyer Haynes. Coney singled through the rightside and a throwing error by the Tigers allowed Haynes to score from first on the play. Michael Lustina then singled to right, plating a run, and after a groundout, John Ramsey's RBI single to leftcenter pushed across Lustina, cutting the Sewanee lead to 6-3.
It remained that way until the eighth when the Tigers plated two insurance runs, starting with a two-out single to center by Andress. Leinberger then blooped a single to short leftcenter and Petrocco was hit, loading the bases. Teel followed with a two-run single to right for an 8-3 advantage.
Wil Baker singled to leadoff the ninth for Trinity, ending a stretch of 19 consecutive batters retired by Donald, and he exited the game. Grant Anderson grounded out and Haynes singled to left.
Eli Potter entered with a 2-0 count and walked Coney but struck out Evan Kuhl and Callen Singhania flied out to leftcenter to end the game.
Jake Beck (3-1) suffered the loss, giving up six runs on eight hits in 1.2 innings. Jack Bussard tossed five-plus scoreless innings of relief before running into trouble in the eighth, allowing two runs on six hits with five strikeouts in 6.1 innings.
GAME TWO
Fortman posted three hits with a solo homer, Jennewein added a solo home run and Sewanee led 4-1 midway through the fifth before Trinity plated a single run in the bottom of the fifth, two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth to take a 5-4 win.
Austin Graber pitched into the seventh for the Tigers, allowing two runs on eight hits. He walked two and struck out five. Trinity got two singles to begin the bottom of the seventh and the righthander's day was over.
The Tigers got on the board in the first thanks to a two-out double from Fortman followed by an RBI single to right from Pinson, with Fortman diving around the tag of the catcher at the plate.
Trinity answered in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff single by Kaleb Woodward, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kuhl, third on a groundout by Will Baker and scored on a two-out single from Grant Anderson.
Fortman hit a solo homer in the third and Jennewein did the same in the fourth. In the fifth Petrocco drew a leadoff walk and went to second on Teel's sac bunt. Fortman then delivered an RBI single to leftcenter for a 4-1 Sewanee edge.
Trinity got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Coney doubled to rightcenter to start the frame and came across on Woodward's single, a hard-hit ball that bounced off Petrocco into rightfield, cutting the margin to 4-2.
Mattias Rytting and Coney both singled to leadoff the bottom of the seventh for Trinity, ending the day for Garber.
Jake Walling induced a fly ball and then a fielder's choice, putting runners on the corners. Woodward stole second on an 0-2 pitch and then Walling uncorked a wild pitch. Rytting scored easily and when
Ethan Williams could not find the ball, Woodward also came around, tying the game at four.
Sawyer Haynes singled up the middle for Trinity with one out in the eighth and Rytting walked with two outs. Coney then singled to left, plating Haynes with the go-ahead run.
Jennewein singled to start the ninth for the Tigers and moved to second on Bagwell's sac bunt, but he was stranded at third, with pinch-hitter
Spencer Yu striking out to end the game.
Walling (2-2) took the loss, giving up one run on two hits with two walks in two innings. Will Hellings (4-2) posted the win with 4.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing one run with no walks and five strikeouts.
