Trinity Collegiate advances in Playoffs
By Don Gearhart
The SCISA playoffs began on May 2 with No. 4 seed Trinity Collegiate hosting the No. 5 seed Porter-Gaud. The Cyclones put two runners on board in the first inning on a leadoff base-on-balls and a two-out base hit. But winning pitcher, Mac Faile, recorded a strikeout to end the early threat. The Titans were retired in order in their half of the first.
The visitors would not be denied in the top of the second. After a leadoff base hit, the sacrifice bunt attempt backfired as Garrett Keen bounced out from behind the plate and threw out the runner trying to advance to second. A wild pitch moved the runner into scoring position and, with two outs, a base hit drove in the game’s first run. Trinity Collegiate answered with an exclamation point. Tucker Galloway got aboard on a fielding error and Nicholas Romanoli followed with a base hit. Dewsy Meadows sacrifice bunt turned into a base hit when the bunt hugged the third base line long enough for Meadows to safely reach first base. Cam Jordan didn’t waste any time clearing the bases when he blasted a line drive gap shot to right-center that went all the way to the fence. After Faile walked, Dalton Moody lined an RBI base hit to score Jordan and the Titans claimed a 4-1 lead.
Porter-Gaud answered back in the top of the third when a walk, followed by two fielding errors produced another run for the Cyclones. Not to be denied, the Titans struck back when Galloway’s grounder to second was misplayed. Romanoli doubled deep to left allowing Galloway to round the bases and score. Romanoli also scored on the play when a throwing error went awry. Meadows got aboard on yet another successful bunt but was stranded when the next two batters went down on strikes. Trinity Collegiate now commanded a 6-2 advantage.
The Titans did not rest on their lead. After Keen was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Tanner Hall lofted a soft single to left to put runners at the corners and Galloway promptly drove home the seventh run for the Titans with a base hit.
Romanoli collected three hits on the night including a double. Jordan had two hits, one a triple, Moody also had a double and single and Meadows collected both his hits on bunt singles.
