Kitchens gets ink in Salem News

Check out this excellent feature on Wayde Kitchens in the Salem News...

Trinity wins again

The Trinity College Bantams survived a late scare to improve to 44-0 on the season with an 8-5 victory over Johns Hopkins. With the win, Trinity is now the only undefeated team left at the D3 College World Series. Adrian, Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Hopkins sit at 2-1 entering day 4 of the double-elimination tournament.

Navigators 1B Kent Graham had another good day for Trinity, going 1-for-4 with an RBI triple in the bottom of the 7th, which at the time gave Trinity a 6-2 lead.

That run would prove to be very important, as Hopkins put together a 3-run 8th inning against Bantams starter Chandler Bernard to trim the lead to one. Michael Regan came out of the pen to get the last out of the 8th, maintaining Trinity's 6-5 advantage.

In the bottom of the 8th, the Bantams put the game away, scoring two insurance runs to make it 8-5.

Holyoke Sox catcher Sean Killeen had a big game. He reached base 3 times, hitting 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, and 2 runs scored.

Trinity will get to sit back and relax tomorrow while three 2-1 teams, Wisconsin-Whitewater, Adrian, and Hopkins, will battle it out for the right to play the Bantams for the title on Tuesday.

Navs, NECBL connections aplenty as Trinity stays undefeated

Incoming Navigator Kent Graham starred as Trinity College improved its record to 43-0, defeating Linfield College 6-5 at the D3 College World Series in Appleton, WI. Graham, who played first base and batted cleanup for the Bantams, went 2-for-3, including a 2-run first inning home run.

As of tonight's game, Graham has 9 homers and 57 RBI on the season. His .424 batting average leads a Trinity team that is awash in offensive talent; he was one of 5 Bantams batters named to the NESCAC All-Conference first team.

Graham, a native of Longmeadow, MA, is one of four NECBL players playing for Trinity.

Jeremiah Bayer of the Manchester Silkworms started on the mound for the Bantams and scored the victory, yielding 5 runs (3 earned) on 7 hits in 8 innings of work. The win improved Bayer's record to 9-0 on the year.

Sean Killeen, a catcher who will play for the Holyoke Sox this summer, went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Michael Hunter, a pitcher bound for the Lowell All-Americans, did not appear in the game.

The Bantams are one of two teams to start the double-elimination tournament with a 2-0 record. They will play fellow 2-0 team Johns Hopkins on Sunday night at 9 PM in the next round of the winner's bracket.

Two other 2008 Navigators helped their teams qualify for the D3 College World Series.

Relief pitcher Brandon Aich's Kean University Cougars were eliminated on Saturday after falling to Adrian, 7-6 in 12 innings. Aich was the hard-luck loser, giving up an unearned run in the 12th. It was a cruel end to an outstanding season for Aich, who finished with a 7-2 record and a 1.50 ERA.

Meanwhile, incoming Navigator Wayde Kitchens of Oceanside, CA, remains alive with the Chapman University Panthers. Kitchens pitched the Panthers to victory over Kean on Friday, keeping his record perfect at 9-0.

Chapman lost to Johns Hopkins 5-4 on Saturday to drop to 1-1 in tournament play. They will face Wisconsin-Whitewater in the losers bracket at 1 PM on Sunday.

Graham Homers

Future Navs 1B Kent Graham slammed a 2-run homer as part of a 4-run first inning for Trinity against Linfield at the D3 College World Series.

Live stats here

Kent Graham & Trinity College look to continue undefeated season at D3 World Series

Incoming North Shore Navigator Kent Graham is batting cleanup and playing first base for Trinity tonight as they take on Linfield College at the D3 College World Series.

Trinity is 1-0 at the double-elimination tournament after squeaking by SUNY Cortland last night, 2-1. The win improved their record to 42-0 on the year.

Follow live stats of the game here.