NASHVILLE – The Trevecca Nazarene University baseball team (8-15, 6-9 GSC) took on the nation's top ranked team, North Greenville University (22-6, 10-5 CC), at Jackson Field on Tuesday afternoon.
The Trailblazers beat the Trojans, 14-13.
SERIES HISTORY/NOTES
Before today, the Trailblazers and Trojans had not played for nearly 20 years. NGU swept TNU during the 2006 season, a three-game series played in Nashville. NGU holds a 4-0 all-time series lead.
The 10-run first inning is the most runs scored in a single inning this season. Trevecca put nine past home in a game against Union and six in games against both Charleston and Lane earlier this season.
Today's game is believed to be one of the very few times Trevecca has faced off against a ranked opponent during the regular season.
Trevecca split a two-game series with Quincy who was receiving national votes during the 2015 campaign. They also knocked the same Quincy squad in 2021 during the NCAA Midwest Region. Quincy was RV that season as well.
HOW IT HAPPENED
NGU 14, TNU 13
After the first two Trailblazers made contact, and the visitors lead 1-0, things looked like an uphill battle against the nation's top ranked team. However, Trojan starter
Jonah Smithson retired three of the next four batters and to get out of the inning and set up his offense for success.
The Trojan bats wasted little time making a lot of noise. After a leadoff strikeout, a walk followed by a two-run home run down the left field line quickly gave the Trojans the lead.
Luke Dymond smacked a ball over the left field wall to make it 5-1 before three straight scoring plays set up a 10-1 advantage.
Joey Parliment singled in a pair of runs before
Brett Dingess doubled in Parliment.
Cole McCallum sent a ball to deep right center to drive in Parliment to finish up the 10-run frame.
After a fairly quick second inning, the Trailblazers proved their top ranking by putting up a five spot. Four singles scored five runs and made it 10-6 Trevecca through three complete.
Both sides were retired in order in the fourth before the Trojans got a run back in the fifth. With two outs,
Joey Parliment doubled to left field to stretch it to an 11-6 advantage. NGU would not go away, though. The Trailblazers put up three more in the sixth behind a double and a two-run home run, their first of the day.
The seventh inning went by smoothly before things turned ugly for Trevecca in the eighth. A five-run eighth inning for NGU pushed the Trailblazers to a 14-11 lead. A pair of sacrifice flies in the bottom half of the frame pulled Trevecca within one, 14-13 but could not recover falling in the ninth.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
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Cole McCallum went 4-5 with a run scored and two RBI.
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Luke Dymond was 1-3 with four RBI, a walk and run scored.
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Brett Dingess went 3-5 with three RBI and three runs scored.
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Aaron McCoy (1-1) was the pitcher of record by coming in the sixth for 1.2 innings. He allowed three earned runs and struck out just one batter with one hit.
NEXT ON THE DIAMOND
The Trojans and Trailblazers finish up their two-game series tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.
