SAN ANTONIO -- The Trinity Tigers, ranked sixth and ninth in two major NCAA Division III polls, posted a 4-0 conference win Friday night over Texas Lutheran at Trinity Baseball Field.

The victory moved Trinity (26-6, 12-1 SCAC) three games ahead of TLU (22-12, 9-4 SCAC) in the race for the top seed and tournament-hosting duties for the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament.

Trinity reliever Trent Rape appeared in relief in the third inning and pitched the final seven innings. He allowed just two hits on the night and worked around three walks. He struck out five. Rape improved to 1-0 on the season.

TLU starter Dwayne Snider (New Caney/New Caney) dropped to 5-2 with the loss. Snider pitched seven innings and allowed four runs (all earned). He struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Trinity scored a pair of runs in the first with a two-run double from Drew Butler. Pat Hirschberg hit a two-run home run in the eighth to account for the final Tiger runs.

TLU managed only five hits, and no Bulldog had more than one hit. Keaton Bohrmann (San Antonio/Johnson) reached base three times, with a hit, a hit-by-pitch and a walk.

Christian Muscarello went 3-for-3 with two runs scored for the Tigers, and Hirschberg went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and two RBI.

The SCAC doubleheader between TLU and Trinity continues Saturday at Trinity Baseball Field. The first game begins at 1 p.m. Trinity will have video and live stats on trinitytigers.com.