Triton is eliminated after two games in Region 4 Tournament

Pitching was the main concern for the Triton College baseball team entering the Region 4 Division I Tournament with their options limited due to injuries. However, the Trojans pitching gave them a chance as unfortunately the offense struggled, scoring only one run in a pair of losses May 7 and 8 to see their season come to an end.

Triton, who entered the tournament as the No. 3 seed battled tough in a 4-1 defeat in their playoff opener against a high-powered hitting McHenry County College (No. 2 seed) squad May 7 in Crystal Lake. The Trojans quickly got on the board in the top of the first. Andrew Crenshaw led off with a double and scored on a one-out single by Nik Dabrowski.

The Trojans would eventually load the based before Scots starter Kaden Nueman got the pitchers best friend, an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to get out of trouble. From that point on, Nueman retired the next 12 Triton batters he faced.

Jack Wolf did all he could on the mound against a strong McHenry lineup, blanking the Scouts through five innings. But McHenry broke through in the bottom of sixth off Wolf as a one-out double and consecutive walks loaded the based for Jack Stecker, who singled to left to drive in a pair of runs to give the Scots a 2-1 lead.

That would be the final batter Wolf saw as he was lifted for Tyler Patterson who walked a pair for one more run to score in the frame. Patterson stayed in the contest, allowing one final tally in the seventh before posting a scoreless eighth.

After the first inning, the Trojans only generated three more hits and had multiple runners on base in just two of the final eight innings.

Triton could not keep their season alive as they fell 4-0 the next day to No. 4 seed Olive-Harvey College in an elimination game played at South Suburban College.

Three of the Panthers four runs were unearned as Olive-Harvey was very opportunistic, cashing in on Trojan miscues in the field in scoring two in the first inning and a run in the second to enjoy an early 3-0 lead.

Triton could only muster three hits the entire game and failed to score off their best chance, stranding the bases loaded in the fourth.

Starter Sam Hays and Ryan Heitz in relief kept the Trojans close. Heitz tossed three-plus shutout innings.

Hays, Ryan Groberski and Levi Hirst recorded the lone hits against Olive-Harvey for Triton.

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