Gavin Williams provided some offense with help from his teammates, and Darren Goeke, Jr. outlasted his opponent on the mound in Game 1 of the Tuesday double-header at NAIA Thomas University. TBC Eagles Baseball won the opener 5-4, but Thomas came back with a spectacular pitching performance in Game 2 and won 7-0 to earn a split of the twin bill.

Game 1: Eagles 5, Thomas 4

Williams started the scoring in his first at bat in the top of the first. Williams launched a two-out solo home run (3) to left center to give the Eagles an early lead. Thomas's Cameron Tyson returned the favor in the bottom half, and Thomas took the lead in the second.

Trinity tied the score in the third on Logan McGann's RBI ground ball that plated Seth Reeves (single).

In the fourth, Trinity put two men in scoring position on Jacob Burke's sacrifice bunt. Reeves followed with a base hit to drive in Jacob Brigman (walk) and put Nate Nogueras (hit batsman) on third. After Reeves stole second, Nogueras scored on a bobbled ground ball to put the Eagles ahead 4-2, and Trinity did not trail again.

Small ball continued in the fifth and contributed mightily to the win. Williams walked then raced two bases on a wild pitch to set up an insurance run the Eagles would end up needing. Brigman laid down a squeeze bunt that scored Williams, and TBC led 5-2.

Thomas did not quit. The Nighthawks scored single runs in the fifth (Elais Garcia RBI ground ball) and seventh (Garcia RBI single) to pull to within a run. However, reliever Drew Billings induced a line drive to Brigman at first to end the game and earn his fifth save of the season.

Williams was 1 for 2 with 2 walks, a home run, and two runs scored. Reeves was 2 for 2 with a run scored and a run driven in.

Goeke pitched 4+ innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 5 hits while walking 4 and fanning 3 to earn his first win if the season.

[Darren Goeke earned the win in Game 1 vs. Thomas.]

Game 2: Thomas 7, Eagles 0

Game 2 was all Thomas. Starter Jon Gavin Steptoe pitched 6 hitless innings, and reliever Brandon Steele pitched a hitless seventh to complete the combined no-hitter. Six different Nighthawks drove in runs, and seven men scored them.

Next Up

The Eagles will now participate in the annual Russ-Matt Invitational (Orlando, FL) for their next six games, all against NAIA competition. On Friday, TBC plays Calumet College of St. Joseph (Whiting, Indiana) at 5:00 p.m. EST. Saturday's games pit Trinity Baptist against Bethel University (Mishawaka, Indiana) and Valley City State University (Valley City, North Dakota).

Next weekend, the Eagles will play three more at the Russ-Matt Invitational on March 7 and 8.