NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (courtesy of @TNUsports) The Trevecca Nazarene University baseball team (16-3) defeated No. 11 (CBN) Grand Valley State University, 4-3 in the second game of the Trevecca Baseball Classic. It is the program's first win in the NCAA Division II era over a ranked DII team as the Trojans are in their provisional year of the reclassifying process.
Grand Valley scored a run in the top of the first for a 1-0 lead. Trevecca plated two in the third and one in the fourth for a 3-1 lead. The Lakers scored a run in the fifth and another in the sixth to knot the game at 3-3.
In the bottom of the ninth, Trevecca senior Luke Fennell led off with a walk and Patrick Reed came on to run, advancing to second on a Cameron Boyett single. Jeff Scarritt was next and came through with his second game-winning hit in the last three games. Scarritt, a sophomore, singled to right-center driving in Reed from second base.
Sophomore Bryan Smith (4-1) pitched all nine innings and took home the win. Smith allowed 11 hits, but didn't offer any free passes to the Lakers while striking out two.
Trevecca's two-run third started with a Ryan Arington single. Arington, a freshman shortstop, scored when Nick Howell followed with a triple. Tyler Tichenor scored Howell when he hit a sac fly in the next atbat.
In the fourth Trevecca scored when Scarritt reached to lead off the when he singled off Aaron Jensen's (pitcher) arm. Scarritt advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt, then scored on a Clayton Nichols sac fly.
Howell had a triple, a run scored, and an RBI. Hurt was 1-for-3 at the plate and had a pair of stolen bases. Scarritt was 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI.
Aaron Jensen (2-2) took the loss for the Lakers. He allowed seven hits, four runs - three earned, and walked one while striking out one. Trevecca had seven hits and helped the Lakers with three errors. GVSU had 11 hits and one error.
Trevecca returns to action Monday, March 17 at 4 p.m. when they host Bloomsburg University (6-7) in the Trojans final game of the Trevecca Baseball Classic.