Winter Haven, Fla.  –  Freshman Ryan Carr (Cos Cobb, Conn.) turned in a strong performance on the hill and sophomore Joe Papa (Cambridge, Mass.) had a big day at the plate to lead the Trinity College Bantams to a 14-4 trouncing of the Union College Dutchmen in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational baseball tournament today at Chain of Lakes Field.   Trinity improves to 8-3 with their fifth consecutive victory, while Union snaps a three-game winning streak, dropping to 3-3 early in the season.

Carr cruised through the first four frames, while the Trinity offense quietly amassed a 7-0 lead.  Union finally got to Carr in the fifth, as four consecutive Dutchmen reached base, capped by an RBI single by freshman Fernando Gomez (Bronx, N.Y.).  Carr picked up his biggest strikeout of the game, leaving the bases full, and protecting a 7-1 Trinity led. 

Trinity continued their scoring streak, recording at least one run in every inning except the first and last, highlighted by a five-run eighth, which gave the Bantams a 14-1 lead.    Union tacked on two runs in the bottom half of the eighth and another in the ninth, but it was not enough to overcome Trinity's large advantage. 

Trinity racked up 19 hits, eight walks, and swiped seven bases in the game.  Six batters recorded multi-hit games, while four pinch-hitters went 1-1 in the game.  Papa came within a double of hitting for the cycle, picking up his second homerun in as many days, and finishing the game 3-4 with a walk, four runs, three RBI, and two stolen bases.  Sophomore Alex Almeida (Bridgeport, Conn.) also homered for the Bantams and classmate Marc Crowley (Andover, Mass.) picked up a pinch hit two-RBI triple, one of ten extra base hits for Trinity. 

Seven Union pitchers went to the hill for the Dutchmen, while just one – sophomore Drew Amboian (Winnetka, Ill.) – pitched a scoreless inning.  Gomez led the Dutchmen offense, going 3-3 with a run and an RBI in the game.  Carr went six innings for the Bantams, recording six strikeouts and just one run in the win. 

Trinity faces Chicago as part of the RussMatt Tournament in a doubleheader at noon and 2:30 p.m. tomorrow in Auburndale, Fla.