Baseball 5/28/2021 12:00:00 AM

Trevecca Baseball | No. 21 Trojans Advance at NCAA Midwest Region over No. 6 Lindenwood

Box Score

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – No. 21 (NCBWA) Trevecca Nazarene University baseball team (34-10) advanced again at the 2021 NCAA Midwest Region with a 7-4 win over No. 16 (CB) Lindenwood University (34-8). The Lions are the No. 4 seed and the host of the region. Trevecca, the second seed, is the only remaining undefeated team.

The win is historic as the second-ever win at an NCAA Region tournament, but a new save King is crowned. Jay Benard closed the game earning career save number 16. It is the all-time record, breaking the mark set by Steven Brown of 15 saves. The save is Benard's ninth this season, which is the NCAA Era record. He is now tied with Brown for saves in a season.

- Midwest Region Homepage -

HOW IT HAPPENED

The host Lions scored first with a run in the third and three more in the fifth for a 4-0 lead. For the second day in a row, the Trojans seemed to be overmatched by the opposing starting pitcher. Like Thursday against Quincy starter Riley Martin, the Trojans eventually solved Lions starter Tyler Cassmeyer (6-1), but the bats didn't awake until the sixth inning. The Trojans handed Cassmeyer his first loss of the year.

In the sixth, Trevecca plated five in the inning to take a one-run lead. The big blow came off the bat of Bryant Goolsby who hit a three-run homerun.

Trevecca added two insurance runs in the ninth on a two-run double by Shawn Wallwork.

ON THE MOUND/IN THE BOX

Bryant Goolsby scored a run and drove in three with a 3-5 day at the plate. Goolsby had a double and a three-run home run. Ethan Harrison and Joseph McNamee had two hits apiece. Harrison had a stolen base. Shawn Wallwork and John O'Dwyer each had a double.

Andru Becker scored twice, reaching on a bunt single and a walk.

Chase Haley (7-1) started and went five-plus innings scattering nine this and allowed four runs. Haley sat down four on strikes. Tyler Koprowski pitched two innings, closing the door on the Lions with three strikeouts. Then Jay Benard came out of the pen for his 16^th career save with two more strikeouts.

SERIES HISTORY

This is the first meeting all-time between Trevecca and Lindenwood in baseball.

CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES

With five teams remaining, an alternate version of the bracket has been activated. Meaning Trevecca, regardless of its result on Saturday, is the only team guaranteed of advancing to Sunday.

The first team eliminated is No. 6 (NCBWA) and tournament top seed University of Illinois Springfield.

Davenport University, receiving votes for the top 25, picked up their second win of the tournament.

MIDWEST REGION SCHEDULE

*Note – GM 1 and GM 3 times swapped for host Lindenwood to play late game Thursday. Weather issues altered that plan. GM 1 – Lindenwood/Davenport – is Friday at 9:00 AM.

Live Stats | Live Video

THURSDAY – MAY 27

GM 3 – #6 Northwood (28-15) def #1 Illinois Springfield (37-7) 13-9

GM 2 – #2 Trevecca (33-10) def #5 Quincy (28-14) 8-3

FRIDAY – MAY 28

GM 1 – #4 Lindenwood (34-7) def #3 Davenport (29-15) 6-2

GM 4 – #5 Quincy (29-14) def #1 Illinois Springfield (37-8) 4-3 / UIS eliminated

GM 5 – #2 Trevecca (34-10) def #4 Lindenwood (34-8) – 7-4

GM 6 – #3 Davenport (30-15) def #6 Northwood (28-16) 16-1

SATURDAY – MAY 29

GM 7 – 11:00 AM – #4 Lindenwood (34-7) vs #6 Northwood (28-16)

GM 8 – 3:00 PM – #3 Davenport (30-15) vs #5 Quincy (29-14)

GM 9 – 7:00 PM – #2 Trevecca (34-10) vs Winner GM 7

SUNDAY – MAY 30

GM 10 – NOON AM – TBD

GM 11 – 3:30 PM – if necessary

MIDWEST REGION NOTES

The Midwest Region is hosted by Lindenwood University of St. Charles, Mo.

Regional play starts Thursday, May 27 and concludes on Sunday, May 30.

The games are to be played at Lou Brock Sports Complex

The six-team double-elimination region field is made up of three automatic qualifiers (AQ) and three at-large selections.

The three automatic qualifiers are the conference tournament champions from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC).

The final three bids go to at large selections evaluated by the regional advisory committee then selected by the NCAA Division II Softball Committee based on distinct criteria.

The NCAA Division II Championship field includes 48 teams spread across eight double-elimination six-team regional sites. The eight regional winners advance to the finals where the national champion is determined in a best-of-three final series. The championship is June 5-12, 2021 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, NC.

SEASON ESSENTIALS

G-MAC Standings | G-MAC Stats | G-MAC Scores | 2021 G-MAC Championships

FINAL MIDWEST REGION RANKINGS

1 – University of Illinois Springfield (37-6 / GLVC)

2 – Trevecca Nazarene University (32-10 / G-MAC)

3 – Northwood University (26-12 / GLIAC)

4 – Lindenwood University (33-7 / GLVC)

5 – Quincy University (28-13 / GLVC)

6 – Davenport University (26-14 / )

7 – Tiffin University (29-16 / G-MAC)

8 – Ohio Dominican University (28-11 / G-MAC)

The 2021 NCAA DII Baseball Championships take place from June 6-12, 2021 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.