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Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Mike Miller EYE ON THE BALL: Kevin Jackson, first year, singles home a run in the sixth inning of last Tuesday's 14-8 win over Howard Payne University (Texas). The win secured a No. 1 seed for the Tigers in the Conference Tournament.

After a 14-8 win over Howard Payne University (Texas) on Tuesday, the Tiger baseball team has clinched the No. 1 seed in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) West division. The team will battle Ogelthorpe University (Ga.) in the first round of the divisional playoffs. Ogelthorpe holds the fourth seed in the SCAC East division and with their record of 11-25 the Tigers are rolling into the three-game series with a high level of confidence.

"We feel that with our pitchers we can match up against anyone in a best of three series," said catcher Zach Fregosi, senior. "We just need to take care of business and go get that goat."

The stomping of Howard Payne began in the first inning thanks to a poor pitching display by the opposition. Three walks and a hit batter put Trinity in perfect position to let their bats bring some runners in.

Sophomore Evan Jones, First Year Kyle Felix, Junior Steven Ramos, Junior Jordan Pennington and Junior Jeff Claydon all brought in a run to put the Tigers up 5-0 by the end of the first inning. The score stalled then until the 3rd inning when Howard Payne put two runs on the board with a two-run homerun, but Trinity got one back in the bottom of the inning from a bases-loaded walk by Kevin Calbick, first year.
"I felt that we played well against Howard Payne," Fregosi said. "It was a good tune-up for Oglethorpe."

Howard Payne got some much-needed offensive help in the 5th and 6th, scoring four runs between the two and tying the game at six. Trinity responded by putting on a show in the bottom of the inning, scoring six runs. The offensive explosion was lead by First Year Dylan Early's two RBI double but Felix, Ramos, Pennington and First Year Kevin Jackson added one each to put the Tigers up 12-6.

"Howard Payne gave us a good feel for what Ogelthorpe will be like," First Year
Noah Solomon said, "we schedule them in that place because we knew they were pretty similar teams."

Continued...

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