Tigers Run-Rule Hendrix 12-2 to Finish SCAC Weekend Series

San Antonio - The Trinity Tiger baseball team earned a 12-2 run-rule win over Hendrix College on Sunday afternoon, finishing off a three-game weekend series in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

Trinity (21-7, 9-4 SCAC) won two out of the three games over the weekend, pushing the team past the 20-win mark for the 10th time in 11 seasons under Head Coach Tim Scannell.  

Hendrix (12-14, 5-10), the defending SCAC Champion, won the overall season series by winning two games in Conway, Arkansas, earlier this season. 

With the win, the 25th-ranked Tigers take over first place in the SCAC West Division by a half-game over Millsaps College. 

After the Tigers opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the third, Hendrix answered with a controversial two-run home run to take the lead in the top of the fourth.  The home run ball was curving towards the foul line and was ruled a fair ball by the home plate umpire, much to the chagrin of the Tiger fans, coaches, and players. 

That controversy was just what Trinity needed, though, as the team answered with 11 runs over the next five innings to earn the victory.  A two-run double from Chris Walden put Trinity back in front for good in the bottom of the fourth, and a three-run homer by Kevin Jackson capped a four-run seventh inning that put the game out of reach.

Hendrix was held to just four hits in the game, as starting pitcher Mike Panozzo (6-2) had an excellent outing to earn the win.  He threw seven complete innings, giving up just two runs on four hits, while Kevin Calbick finished off the game by pitching a scoreless eighth inning.

Jackson was 2-3 with two runs and three RBI in the game, while Walden finished 2-4 with one run and three RBI.  Leadoff hitter Jonathan Hall had a solid showing at the plate, reaching base five times and going 3-3 with two runs and two RBI.  Kevin Francke and Nick Pappas also scored a pair of runs for the Tigers.