Whitworth takes first loss at Division III regional

Jules Cronk hit a grand slam and an RBI double to lead 15th-ranked Trinity College of Texas over Whitworth 8-3 in a second-round game on Thursday at the NCAA Division III baseball regional tournament at Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore. As a result, Whitworth, which won its opening-round game on Wednesday, will have to win twice today to reach the final day of the regional on Saturday. Whitworth (27-14-1) will play Concordia at noon. If the Pirates win that elimination game they will play Trinity again at 7 p.m. The Pirates took a 1-0 lead over Trinity (36-10) on Landon Scott’s RBI single but Trinity came back with two runs in the second and Cronk’s slam in the third. Tanner Barron (4-1) went eight inning for Trinity, strking out 12 while allowing Whitworth’s three earned runs on eight hits and four walks. Carson Blumenthal (5-5) started and lasted four innings for the Pirates, giving up six hits and three walks. Taylor Isadore finished on the mound, giving up the other two runs on two walks while striking out two. Scott was the only Pirate with two hits.