Junior southpaw Jacob Brigman set a new Trinity record when he struck out the leadoff man in the top of the third, and his offense provide more than enough run support as TCJ Eagles Baseball rallied twice late in defeating the Baptist University of Florida Eagles 12-2 in 7 innings of a scheduled 9-inning game on Saturday. The win was the fourth in South Region play and the last game at Trinity Ballyard for more than a month. 

Entering the game needing one strikeout to tie the record and two break it, Brigman got the record-tying K in the second. Brigman had a 1-2 count on the batter; he got a foul tip on a slider, and catcher Larson Lott held on for strike three. That was career strikeout #166 for Brigman, which tied the record of former Eagle Michael Cohick. 

In the third, Brigman threw three strikes to the leadoff man, putting a fastball right past the hitter for his record-setting 167th career strikeout. 

[Junior Jacob Brigman is the new Trinity Eagles career strikeout leader at 171.]

Brigman fanned 4 more Baptist hitters to finish the day with 171 career strikeouts. Overall, he pitched 6 innings, allowing only a first-inning run. He allowed 4 hits (3 singles, 1 double) and did not walk a batter.

The Eagles tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the third on a double steal when the throw sailed into left field. Darren Goeke, Jr., who was on second and stole third, scored on the overthrow. 

Trinity then scored 5 in the 5th and 6 in the 6th to put the game into a run-rule situation at 12-1. In the 5th, Cooper Scruggs drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Goeke (walk), and Gadriel Burgos drove in McGann (walk) with a sacrifice fly. Larson Lott's errant ground ball allowed Scruggs and Williams to cross, and Dawson Harrelson's grounder brought in Morgan Muhlbauer. In the 6th, the Eagles got RBI from Gavin Williams (two-run double), Burgos (two-run single), Harrelson (double), and Tyson LaChapelle to complete the scoring. 

Baptist scored 1 in the seventh on a sacrifice fly and threatened to keep the game going with two men aboard and two outs. Harrelson, though, induced a groud ball to third, and McGann made the play to end the game and secure the win. 

The Eagles got 8 hits from 7 different men, incuding a pair from Williams. Burgos drove in 3 to tie him for 9th in the nation with 13 RBI on the season. Harrelson drove in 2 as did Williams to help lead TCJ.

The TCJ Eagles will now travel to the NCCAA Division 2 National Invitational Tournament from Friday through Saturday, February 19-21. TCJ plays Champion Christian College on Thursday then Randall University and Arlington Baptist University on Friday. The two best in pool play will face off for the title on Saturday. The Eagles then visit NAIA Thomas University for two on February 24 before going to Bob Jones University for another three-game set with the Bruins in South Region play on February 27 and 28.