JOLIET, Ill.- The Indiana University South Bend Titans (22-23, 15-10 CCAC) defeated the Trinity Christian College Trolls (22-25, 16-11 CCAC) by a score of 5-1. Thursday's win advances the Titans into the winners bracket of the CCAC Tournament, awaiting the winner of the first round matchup between Calumet College of St. Joseph and Saint Francis University.
Senior right handed pitcher
Payton Carney got the start on the mound for the Titans, pitching two scoreless innings while striking out two Trolls.
Alex Babbitt relieved Carney and pitched seven innings while allowing just one run on four hits and striking out four. Babbitt's seven innings pitched on Thursday gives him 16 innings pitched against Trinity Christian this season while allowing just one run.
Third baseman
Logan Smith got the Titans on the board in the top of the first with a two run homerun to center field that scored
Coby Campbell to give IU South Bend a 2-0 lead.
Left fielder
Josiah Nelson extended the Titans lead in the top of the second with an RBI groundout that scored
Owen Benson to further the IU South Bend lead to 3-0.
Catcher
Anthony Pohl's second inning RBI double plated
Devin Smith to further the Titans lead to 4-0 headed into the bottom of the second inning.
Logan Smith drove in yet another run in the top of the sixth with an RBI double that scored
Josiah Nelson, giving IU South Bend a 5-0 lead. On the day, Smith collected eight total bases and drove in three of the five Titan runs while only recording one out.
Trinity Christian tallied their lone run of the contest in the bottom of the eighth inning when third baseman Anthony Cappelletti drove in a run with an RBI double to cut their deficit to 5-1.
The Trolls failed to score in the remainder of the eighth and the ninth inning as IU South Bend went on to win game one of the CCAC Tournament by a final score of 5-1.
The Indiana University South Bend Titans return to action at 2:00 PM ET on Friday, May 5th, when they will play the winner of Thursday's opening round contest between Saint Francis and Calumet College of St. Joseph.