QUICK HITS

• Result: MBU 0-8 TIU, MBU 8-12 TIU
• Venue: Trinity International University, Deerfield, Ill.
• Attendance: 40, 50
• Record: Maranatha is now 0-16

THE LEAD

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- In today's doubleheader with Trinity International, the Sabercats came close but were denied their first win of the season thanks to a six-run fifth inning from TIU in game two.

Jordan Garrison continued his stellar play at the plate with three hits in the second game while Cody Kuhl went 3-5 with three RBI.

THE STORY

Garrison went toe-to-toe with TIU's Mike Balistreri, as the first game was a pitchers' duel through the first three and a half innings. Elijah May came closer than anyone to scoring when he smashed a double to center field, but a cannon throw from Zach Kentner from right field put May out at third base on the very next play.

The Trojans took advantage of a Sabercat error in the fourth to score two (unearned) runs, then a three-run homer from Matt Pierson in the fifth blew the game open for TIU. Back-to-back doubles from Andrew Stout and Sam Willis amounted to four runs in the fifth and a 6-0 lead for the Trojans. In the bottom of the sixth, Luiz Henriquez cleared the fence in left field for TIU's second home run of the game and the exclamation point on the 8-0 win for the hosts.

Balistreri went five innings in the win for TIU and allowed just four hits. Maranatha finished the game with five hits, each from a different player.

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Game two was a different story, as the Sabercats gave the Trojans a legitimate scare in a tight, back-and-forth contest. 

Consecutive RBI singles from Tim Kinzler and Dillon Smith gave MBU a 2-1 lead in the top of the second, then Kuhl drove in a couple of runs with a hit in the top of the third to give the Sabercats a 5-3 lead.

Just when things were looking good for the Sabercats, the Trojans fought back. Nine runs over the next two innings - including six in the bottom of the fifth frame - was good enough for the Trojans to take control of the game. 12-6 TIU.

MBU tried to stay with TIU over the final few innings, as Maranatha recorded a run in each of the final four frames. But that fifth-inning storm from the Trojans was their proverbial Trojan Horse on the day.

THE STATS

Maranatha's key contributors in game two were Garrison (3-5, 2 RBI), Kuhl (3-5, 3 RBI), and Smith (2-3, 2 RBI, 2B).

The two RBI from Smith were his first of the season.

The 11-hit showing from Maranatha in the second game ties their highest mark this season.

Pierson's bat was responsible for seven of the Trojans' runs on the day. Henriquez led the hosts with six hits.

Maranatha recorded 16 hits in the doubleheader while the Trojans registered 25.

NOTES ON THE TROJANS

• The Trojans are members of the NAIA and compete in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
• With the wins, TIU is now 3-39 on the year.
• The Trojans have five games left this season and will conclude their home games Friday against Robert Morris University.

THE CALENDAR

The Sabercats will conclude the 2018 season with a doubleheader at Dominican at 5 p.m. Thursday at Boomers Stadium in Schaumburg, Illinois. Follow at mbusabercats.com/composite.