NASHVILLE – The Trevecca Nazarene University baseball team (2-0) played their 2024 Home Opener at Jackson Field on Friday in a rain-soaked affair filled with a late start and multiple delays with the Crusaders of Belmont Abbey College (2-3). The Trojans rallied then outlasted the Crusaders for a 11-9 win.
The teams will try to doge the weather again on Saturday beginning at 10:30 AM.
SERIES HISTORY/NOTES
Belmont Abbey College won the first four games in the series including all three in North Carolina last season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Crusaders scored first with a run in the top of the third.
The Trojans roared back with a nine-run third. The first 12 batters in the Trojan half of the inning reached base without an out being recorded.
In the inning, the Trojans had seven hits and left two on base. The inning started with an
Andru Becker double, a
Haven Mangrum single, and then
Jacob Lester singled to drive in Becker. Joey Parliament followed with a walk to load the bases.
Cole McCallum took advantage with his first career home run at Trevecca, a grand slam, putting the Trojans up 5-1. With the bases empty,
Logan Harrell reached on an error ahead of a
Frankie Carreras reaching on a walk. Next,
Josh Griffin doubled to score Harrell.
David Milam followed with a two-run single, scoring Carreras and Griffin. With the score now Trevecca 8, Belmont Abbey 1,
Andru Becker reached on another double, two in the same inning, moving Milam to third.
Haven Mangrum reached for the second time in the inning as well, with a hit-by-pitch to load the bases again.
Jacob Lester walked forcing in the ninth run of the inning. That completed 12 consecutive Trojans reaching base in the inning. The Crusaders got out of the inning by retiring Joey Parliament, for the first time, and coaxing
Cole McCallum into grounding into an inning ending double play.
The Crusaders rallied by adding two in the fourth, one in the fifth, two in the seventh to make it 9-6 Trojans. TNU added two runs on a pair of solo home runs, one by Joey Parliament and another by
Cole McCallum, the later's second of the game – making it 11-6 Trojans. The Crusaders were not done either, adding another run in the eighth and two in the ninth before
Matthew Hock shut down the rally to preserve the 11-9 win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Spencer Wilkins started and went four innings allowing three hits, three runs, two walks, and sat down five on strikes.
- The Trojans collected 15 hits after having 17 in their opener against Emmanuel.
- Haven Mangrum went 3-4 with a run scored.
- Joey Parliament was 2-4 with two runs scored, an RBI, a home run, a triple, and a walk.
- Cole McCallum was 2-5 with two runs scored, two home runs, and five RBI.
- Andru Becker was 2-5 with two doubles, and a run scored.
- James Dickson (1-0) got the win and Matthew Hock (1) the save.
UP NEXT
On Saturday, the Trojans and Crusaders are scheduled for a single game with the first pitch at 10:30 AM.
Trevecca hosts Maryville University (1-0) for a single game on Friday, Feb. 16 at 3:00 PM and a double header on Saturday that is set to start at Noon.
