MASON, Ohio - The top-seeded Trevecca Nazarene University baseball team (33-18) defeated sixth-seeded Salem International University (9-39) 7-3 in the 2015 Great Midwest Athletic Conference opener on Wednesday at Prasco Park.

Trevecca plays again on Thursday at 2:15 p.m. against the loser of game three between fourth seeded Cedarvile University (20-24) and third seeded Kentucky Wesleyan College (32-16). Those two teams play at 5:00 p.m. central time on Wednesday.

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With today's win, Trevecca is 9-0 all-time versus Salem International. 

Wednesday's other game pits second seeded Alderson Broaddus University (31-15) against Ohio Valley University (13-28) at 2:15 p.m.

Against Thursday's two potential opponents Trevecca is 16-4 all-time versus Cedarville and 5-3 all-time versus Kentucky Wesleyan. Against the other two tournament qualifiers Trevecca is 7-1 versus Ohio Valley and 7-2 versus Alderson Broaddus.

Neither team scored in the first inning of Wednesday's tournament opener, but the Tigers pushed a run across in the top of the second for a 1-0 lead.

Trevecca responded with a four-run bottom of the second inning.

Both teams scored a run in their half of the sixth.

In the seventh, SIU added a run to cut the Trojan lead to just 5-3, but Trevecca tacked on two runs in the bottom half for a 7-3 lead.

Zach Smith (FR/Estill Springs, Tenn.) (1-1) picked up his first career win in a Trevecca uniform. Smith started and pitched seven innings allowing seven hits and three runs with one walk and nine strikeouts. Smith now has 19 strikeouts in 17.1 innings pitched this season. This was his second start of his freshman season.

Ivey Starling (JR/Brentwood, Tenn.) come on to pitch the final two innings. Starling allowed just one hit and had two strikeouts. Starling now has 40 strikeouts in 73.1 innings pitched.

Hunter Newman (JR/Chapmansboro, Tenn.), the 2015 G-MAC Player of the Year, hit a double, one of two extra base hits for the Trojans. Bryson Shelton (SO/Powell, Tenn. ) and Ethan Hurt (SO/Pegram, Tenn.) each had a stolen base. Newman was 3-for-5. Tyler Tichenor (JR/Centertown, Ky) was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Hurt was 2-for-4 with the Trojans other extra base hit, a double, and added two runs scored and an RBI. Zach Tompkins (JR/Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) reached on a walk, had a hit, a run scored, and a RBI. Tompkins also gunned down the only Tiger stolen base attempt.

Trevecca had 10 hits and not errors while SIU collected eight hits and had four errors.

Trevecca is the two-time G-MAC tournament champions and are the three-time G-MAC regular season champions.

Notes:

Trevecca is 50-12 all-time in G-MAC Regular Season play

Trevecca is 7-1 all-time in G-MAC Tournament play

Trevecca is on a seven-game win streak in G-MAC Tournament play

Trevecca is 24-7 over its last 31 games

Ryan Schmalz is now 110-54

Hunter Newman hit his 19th double of the year

Tyler Tichenor has 40 RBI on the year

Ethan Hurt has 20 stolen bases on the year

Shelton now has 11 stolen bases on the year