NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Trevecca Nazarene University baseball team (28-17, 17-3) split a Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) double header with Alderson Broaddus University (25-18, 14-8), 4-5 and 9-2, on Saturday at Jackson Field.

The split means Trevecca is tied with Kentucky Wesleyan for first place in the G-MAC baseball standings. KWC will visit TNU next weekend in a four-game series that will determine the regular season championship and the top seed in the G-MAC postseason tournament. Both teams are 17-3 in the standings.  

The Trojans are 10-3 versus ABU all-time. Overall, the Purple and White have won 20 of their last 24.

GAME ONE RECAP

The Battlers broke a scoreless tie with a run in the top of the fifth. Alderson Broaddus added three runs in the sixth for a 4-0 lead.

Trevecca plated three in their half of the sixth for a 4-3 ABU lead.

ABU got a solo home run in the top of the seventh. It ended up being the run that determined the outcome of the game.

Trevecca added one more run in the bottom of the seventh, but came up a run short, losing 5-4.

Ivey Starling (SR/Brentwood, TN) took the loss and is 6-4 on the year. Starling pitched six innings and allowed seven hits and four runs – one earned, while walking two and striking out eight.

Trevecca had eight hits and two errors while ABU had nine hits and one error.

Tyler Tichenor (SR/Centertown, KY) was 2-3 at the plate and drove in one run and also reached on a hit-by-pitch. Trevecca did not have a extra base hit.

Tyler Stage improved to 6-2 with the win. Stage pitched 6.1 innings and allowed seven hits and all four Trojan runs, but only one was earned. He walked two and had 11 strikeouts.

GAME TWO RECAP 

 Trevecca took a 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first. Ethan Harrison (FR/Erlanger, KY) reached on a walk and then later scored after moved to second on a wild pitch and to third with a stolen base. Micah Blount (SR/Birmingham, AL) singled to score Harrison.

Alderson Broaddus scored a run in the top of the second for a 1-1 tie.

Trevecca pulled ahead 2-1 with a run in the bottom of the third. Ethan Harrison led off the inning with a walk and scored on a double from Bryson Shelton (JR/Powell, TN).

The Battlers tied the game with a single run in the top of the sixth.

Trevecca took the lead for good with a three-run sixth. Ryan Arington (JR/Cincinnati, OH) hit a one-out double and moved to third where he scored on a Tyler Tichenor single. Tichenor ended up at third on a pair of passed balls. Blount walked and stole second after a failed pick off that allowed Tichenor to steal home and score. Shelton singled and scored Blount.

Trevecca added insurance with a four-run seventh for the 9-2 final.

Trevecca turned in a 12 hit effort at the plate and had one error. Despite scoring nine runs, Trevecca left 11 men on base. ABU could not take advantage of 10 hits and left 13 men stranded and had two errors.

Mac Barnes (SO/Arlington, TN) came on in relief of a solid start by Jon Newman (SO/Gilbert, SC) and picked up the win. Barnes is 2-0 after pitching an inning and a third after relieving Newman with two out in the sixth. Barnes allowed three hit and had two strikeouts. Newman went 5.2 innings and allowed seven hits and two runs while walking four and striking out three. Jake Roberson (FR/Springfield, TN) and Mason Dunn (SR/Goodlettsville, TN) each pitched and inning of shutout baseball.

Six different Trojans accounted for two hits. Micah Blount was 2-3 with three RBI, a walk, a stolen base, and a run scored. Tichenor was 2-5 with two runs scored, a stolen base, an RBI, and a walk. Ryan Arington went 2-3 with to runs scored, two RBI, a double, a walk, and a stolen base. Bryson Shelton was 2-4 with two RBI, a walk, and a double.