Trinity struggles at first in win over Rebels

Published 12:14 am Friday, April 23, 2010

NATCHEZ — The Trinity Episcopal Saints might have won their first round playoff series against Riverdale, but coaches Mitch Ashmore and David King know the team will have to perform better if it wants to keep advancing.

And that was evident on Monday in Game 2 of the Saints’ first round series against Riverdale.

Trinity struggled most of the game and had just a 6-3 lead before they broke loose against a tired Rebels pitching staff in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring six runs to end the game via the 10-run mercy rule.

Email newsletter signup

But even with the big sixth inning, the Saints coaches were less than pleased with the game as a whole.

“It’s disappointing because we have in our minds a very fine team,” King said. “We didn’t play well the entire game like we expected. We made mental mistakes and we can’t do that in the playoffs.”

Trinity (18-5) won Game 1 of the best of three series 8-1 on Tuesday, but struggled on Thursday with the Rebels.

The Saints got on the board in the bottom of the first inning on a Jordan Dossett sacrifice fly.

Riverdale tied the score in the bottom of the first inning when Trinity botched a rundown, allowing Austin Vaughan to score.

Trinity jumped back out on top with three runs in the bottom of the third inning.

Kent King scored on a bad throw on a pickoff attempt and Givonni Dent followed with a double that scored another run.

Dent then scored on a sacrifice fly by Daniel Dunaway to make the score 4-1.

But once again, Riverdale got right back into the game in the top of the fourth inning when Matt Warren drove in two runs with a double.

Trinity got two runs back in the bottom of the inning on a RBI double by Winston and a RBI single by Dossett.

After holding Riverdale scoreless in the top of the sixth inning, the Saints ended the game in the bottom of the inning with seven runs.

Winston scored the first run on a fielder’s choice before Trevor Faust drove in another with a single.

Dunaway hit a double to drive in the next run and Sky Logan made the score 10-3 with an RBI bunt single.

Another infield single by Andrew Moroney drove in the 11th run and King ended the game with a two-run double.

Trinity will play Monday night against Riverfield in the first game of the second round, and the coaches know the effort and execution must improve.

“We are going to see very good teams (in the playoffs),” David King said. “We had better perform better if we want to be in position to keep winning.”