A 1-htter in Game 1 and a 7-run outburst in Game 2 led to a Senior Day double-header South Region sweep as TCJ Eagles Baseball closed out the regular season by defeating Paine College twice on Friday. The two performances give seniors Drew Billings and Darren Goeke, Jr. wins in their final home games as TCJ Eagles. Both seniors contributed to the Game 2 win.

Game 2: Eagles 12, Paine 3

Goeke was 2 for 4 as the designated hitter in his final home game. In the 7-run bottom of the third, Goeke lined a base hit to center to drive in Gadriel Burgos and Dominic Gattinella to make the score 5-0. 

The inning started with Trinity behind 2-0. Seth Reeves was hit by a pitch in his first at bat since February 19 due to injury. After a sacrifice bunt from Logan McGann, the Eagles got three straight hits from Larson Lott (RBI double), Gavin Williams (single), and Burgos (RBI single). Gatinella then walked to load the bases, and Jacob Burke followed with a run-scoring walk.

After Goeke's base hit, Reeves took another pitch off the body to relaod the bases, and McGann singled home Burke and Goeke to make the score 7-2.  

[Darren Goeke, Jr.: 2 for 4, 2 R, 2 RBI in final home game as an Eagle]

McGann continued his hot hitting with another 2-run single in the 5th, and Reeves started a 6th-inning rally with a run-scoring single. Later in the 6th, Morgan Muhlbauer and Burke pulled off a double steal with Muhlbauer taking home just after Burke drove in Williams (walk) wiith a base hit. 

McGann stole his 27th base of the season in the 5th. He is #10 in the NCCAA in steals and #9 in walks with 32.

Billings took the mound with a man on and nobody out in the top of the 5th. He induced a line drive double play to Richaun Amaro at shortstop. After a single, Billings ended the inning with a ground ball to Amaro.

[Senior Drew Billings is the single-season and all-time saves leader for Trinity Baseball.]

Brodie Nichols started and pitched 4+ innings for the win. Nichols allowed 3 runs (only 1 earned) on 6 hits. He struck out 5 batters and did not walk any. 

Amaro pitched the final two innings, getting all 6 men he faced, including 2 strikeouts in the 7th. 

Pablo Rivera homered for Paine, and Santiago Ortiz scored twice in a 2-for-3 performance.

Game 1: Eagles 4, Paine 1

Jacob Brigman finished the regular season with a 1-hit gem. Brigman pitched a complete game, allowing 1 run while walking 2 and striking out 6. He ends the season as Trinity's all-time strikeout leader.

With his team trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Williams lauched a bomb into the trees beyond left field for his 4th home run of the season to tie the score. In the 2nd, McGann lined a three-run shot over the left-field fence for his first home run of the season. Trace Hoff (single) and Amaro (single) scored on the blast to make the score 4-1. Brigman made sure that was enough.

[Logan McGann: 3 for 5, HR, Sac, SB, 7 RBI in Friday's double-header.]

Williams was 3 for 3 with a home run, a single, and a double; he needed a triple for the cycle but did not get a fourth at bat. Gattinella led off the third with a triple. Paine's Andy Castillo hit a solo home run in the first.

[Seniors Drew Billings and Darren Goeke, Jr. got wins in their final home games.]

South Region Tournament

The regular season has ended, and the Eagles await seeding and scheduling for the South Region Tournament, which will take place during the week of May 4-9. The tournament is at Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa, Georgia.