BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - No. 15 Trinity University Baseball picked up its second victory over a top-ten opponent in as many days Sunday afternoon with an 8-3 outing against No. 9 Washington University in St. Louis to round out the 2022 Birmingham-Southern College Classic.
The Tigers (2-1) shifted junior third baseman MJ Metz (San Diego, Calif. / Canyon Crest) into the clean-up spot and reaped all the benefit as he went three-for-five from the plate with a home run and two doubles, drove in a pair and crossed home twice himself.
For the third straight contest to open the 2022 campaign, Trinity's starting pitcher recorded at least five innings from the mound and double-digit striekouts. Junior southpaw Samuel Conte (Boston, Mass. / Phillips) allowed just a pair of runs on five hits, two walks but missed out on Sunday's decision.
Sophomore righthander Joseph Chavana (Laredo, Texas / J.B. Alexander) received the victory on the hill for the Tigers as he finished out the three innings that remained and left the Trinity bats in position for an eighth-inning rally to pull away from a 3-3 draw. The second-year arm allowed one unearned run on three hits and just one free pass.
Sophomore second baseman Colt Harris (Katy, Texas / Houston Christian) broke the game open with a two-RBI base knock to right centerfield, half of the four-run eighth frame.
No. 15 Trinity Baseball returns to San Antonio next week to host Babson College (MA) for a three-game series at the Trinity Baseball Field. The 2022 home-opener is slated for Friday at 7 p.m.
The Rundown
Conte's quality start featured only one runner to cross the plate on his watch, though it came in the ninth-ranked Bears' half of the first inning on a two-out single to left. After that, the New England-native allowed just three hits and one walk over the next five innings which gave the bats plenty of time to ease into Sunday's action.
The first of Metz's three extra-base hits came on a two-bagger to right-center in the top of the fourth to reward first-year first baseman Brandon Nelson (Missouri City, Texas / Ridge Point) for his effort on a lead-off infield single in the previous Trinity at-bat.
The next plate appearance for the towering third baseman came with one out in the sixth as Metz blasted a solo shot over the left centerfield fence to give the Tigers its first lead of the game, 2-1. Three straight reached base afterward to set the table for a pinch-hit opportunity for junior Evan McDonald (Pflugerville, Texas / Pflugerville) to pick up a RBI knock to left, scoring junior rightfielder Brian Schaub (Hatifeld, Pa. / La Salle). The bases were left loaded two outs later to end the frame.
WashU responded in the seventh a pair of their own. Conte was relieved by Chavana after a lead-off single, the first runner to cross the plate in the inning. Neither of the runs scored by the Bears came on a hit as the first scored on a groundout, the second on an ill-timed fielding error which led to Chavana's lone unearned run on his tally.
Harris's two-RBI single came immediately afterward with one out in the eighth as a double for sophomore designated hitter Cristian Holloway (Brownsville, Texas / Veterans Memorial) put two in scoring position for the second-year second baseman that replaced McDonald in the field. Harris later scored on a throwing error from third base that would have ended the inning. Junior centerfielder Ezra Gore (Dallas, Texas / McKinney North) took advantage of the free at-bat with a RBI base-hit before the inning closed.
For good measure, Holloway returned in the ninth with another RBI single, this time to score Metz who led off the inning with his second double and third extra-base hit, allowing Chavana a five-run cushion to bring home his first victory of the 2022 campaign.
Up Next
No. 15 Trinity Baseball returns to campus to open up a 13-game homestand with Friday's home-opener against Babson.
The Tigers will host No. 6 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater for a four-game series starting Thursday, March 3 followed by a midweek bout with DeSales University (VA) on March 9.
The 2022 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference schedule opens Friday, March 18 in San Antonio with a three-game set against Southwestern University.