Trinity Outlasts Centre in Extra-Inning Elimination Game at SCAC Tourney

Conway, Ark. – The Trinity Tigers edged the Centre Colonels 3-2 Saturday in a nine-inning elimination game at the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Softball Championship Tournament at Warrior Field.

Trinity (16-21), the No. 3 seed from the West Division, will play Southwestern (No. 2 West) at 7 tonight in another elimination game at Conway High School. Southwestern outlasted Rhodes (No. 2 East) 5-4 in an 11-inning marathon game. The winner of the 7 p.m. game plays the loser of DePauw and Millsaps late tonight, and will advance to Sunday’s championship game. At stake is an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Caitlin Richards cracked a double to left center field, scoring Karen MacPherson.

The highest drama, though, was in the seventh inning, when the Tigers, down 1-2, faced elimination from the tournament. Ana Garcia started the inning with a double to right field.  Two outs later, MacPherson came to the plate and singled to center field, advancing Garcia to third base. MacPherson, Trinity’s all-time stolen base leader, stole second, her 29th steal of the season. Rachel Garrett hit a single and scored Garcia, and the score was tied at 2-2.

Centre went down in order in the eighth, and the Tigers left two players on base in their half of the inning. The Colonels had a base hit in the ninth, but Trinity closed out the inning.

MacPherson batted 3-5 and scored two runs, and Richards hit 3-5, with one RBI. Garcia went 2-4 and scored a run.

Sydney Friday was the starting pitcher, and hurled three innings. Friday yielded one earned run, six hits, no walks, and struck out three batters. Sarah Rabaey pitched the final six innings and claimed the victory. Rabaey (4-5), allowed no earned runs, two hits, no walls, and also fanned three players.