Despite a 4-for-4 effort by Daniel Ward with two doubles, three runs and an RBI, Trinity Univesity defeated the Warriors 10-7 Sunday to win three of four games in the series at Warrior Field.
The Warriors fall to 11-15 overall and 1-3 in the SCAC, while the Tigers improve to 11-6 overall and 3-1 in league play. Trinity took home the series 3-1 and sits atop the conference, while Hendrix ranks fourth in the West Division.
Ward batted .846 (11 for 13) with a 1.538 slugging percentage, 10 runs, four doubles, one triple, one home run and two RBI in the series. He now boasts a .453 overall batting average and .800 slugging percentage. Ward hit for the cycle in the Warriors' 9-3 loss on Friday.
Trailing 5-1 after one, Hendrix scored on back-to-back doubles by Ward and Eric Mathis.
Trinity added three runs to its advantage in the top of the third before Hendrix answered with four runs on five hits and two errors in the bottom half. The key hit of the inning was a home run by designated hitter David Foley. Hendrix made it a one-run tilt by plating one run in the fourth and fifth. Hendrix outhit Trinity 14-11 and stranded 10.
Mathis finished two doubles and two RBI, while Grinstead and Jeff Forgerson each went three for five at the plate.
Robin Sluijter and Dave Keine each tossed three innings in relief, yielding two hits and one run. The Warriors will be back in action on March 20 when they host Austin College at 5 p.m.
SATURDAY
The Hendrix baseball team split a doubleheader with Trinity, losing the first game 3-2 in extra innings before taking the second game, 10-6.
In the first game, both teams were held scoreless until the fifth inning when Trinity managed to plate one run after Jeff Claydon reached on an error, stole second and raced home on John Paillet's double to left field. The Tigers added another run in the sixth. Then, Ward led off the frame with a double to left, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout. The Warriors sent the game into extra innings in the bottom of the seventh. Erik Grafton delivered a pinch-hit single to right and Kirk Kimery came in as a pinch-runner. Foley moved Kimery to second with another single to right. Kimery stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brad Grinstead.
Trinity scored the game winning run in the 10th when Kevin Jackson walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Kevin Calbick's single to left.
Hendrix scored six runs in the bottom of the first to take immediate control of the second game. The Warriors collected four singles and two walks in the inning. Ward, Mathis, Matt Giza, Jared Roberts, Grinstead and Grafton each crossed the plate in the first.
Hendrix added one run in the second, two in the fourth and one in the sixth to reach their final mark.
Wheeler Gnat entered with two outs in the fourth, worked his way out of a jam and finished the game to earn his second win of the year.
