Trojans split first two games of Region 4 Tournament

The Triton College baseball team will have their backs against the wall entering the second day of the NJCAA Region 4 Division I baseball tournament. After splitting the two games played in the round-robin portion May 13 at South Suburban College, the Trojans now face the tough task of needing to defeat the top seed and tournament host Bulldogs twice in order to claim their fifth consecutive regional crown.

However, the first step for Triton is to win one. They'll get their chance Friday, May 14 at Noon against South Suburban. If the Trojans, prevail, then there will be a winner-take-all game to follow at 3:00 p.m.

Triton (24-13) dominated their tournament opener over No. 3 seeded Kishwaukee College (5-31) with a 10-0 win in six innings.

The Trojans scored in all six frames. Adam Pottinger (Deerfield) singled and stole second base to get the bottom of the first going. Colin Summerhill (Loyola Academy) singled to drive in Pottinger to put Triton on the board. Summerhill reached base three times, scored twice and drove in a pair.

Michael Kocen (Warren Township) added to the Triton lead in the second inning with a two-run homer to make it 3-0.

The Trojans broke the contest open with a four-run fourth, Summerhill's RBI double was the only hit that drove in a run as the other three tallies all came off wild pitches. Pottinger and then Summerhill scored all the way from second on a single wild one to give Triton an 8-0 advantage.

The run support was more than enough for Logan Strutz who pitched five quality innings. The freshman from Lockport allowed one hit along with eight strikeouts. Julio Cajigas (Romeoville) pitched a perfect sixth inning.

Jack Ferraro (Lyons Township) ended matters with an RBI single to plate home Tommy Benson (Chesterton, IN).

The second game of the round-robin was one of missed opportunities for Triton in an 8-4 loss to South Suburban. The Trojans stranded 12 base runners and had quality scoring chances in all nine innings.

In the top of the third, Triton tied the game at one on a RBI single to center by Benson to drive home Bobby Wisz (Lemont). On the throw home, Summerhill and Benson each advanced an extra base to set-up the Trojans with runners at second and third with one out. However, Bulldog starter Connor Tomasic retired the next two batters on a strikeout and fly out to right to get out of trouble.

South Suburban (40-17) would take the lead for good in the bottom half of the inning on a two-out RBI single up the middle by JJ Rivera off Triton starter Sebastian Benz (Zachary, LA).

Triton had a runner at second with no outs in the fourth, fifth and six innings, but could not cash in.

A Pottinger solo home run to center in the seventh gave the Trojans life as the blow narrowed the deficit to 5-2. Later in the frame, a double steal that scored Summerhill trimmed the Bulldog lead down to 5-3.

But the game turned in the eighth inning as Triton had the bases loaded with one out and South Suburban reliever Jacob Bosse struck out the next two Triton batters to end the threat.

Then the Bulldogs put the game out of reach in their half of the eighth on back-to-back home runs from Mateo Saenz and Joshua Bentley.

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