LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates football team got a solid effort from their defense and a career-high 102 rushing yards from sophomore Ryan Lynskey in a 28-7 loss to perennial NESCAC power Trinity Saturday afternoon at Garcelon Field.

The Bobcats (0-2 NESCAC) got a stop on defense to start the game, but Trinity (2-0 NESCAC) faked a punt and upback Jack Tosone ran the ball 56 yards to the end zone for a touchdown, giving the Bantams an early 7-0 lead they did not relinquish.

Bates went three-and-out on their opening drive, but the Bobcat defense got a big fourth-down stop on Trinity's next possession as sophomore safety Jack Morrison (Manchester Center, Vt.) stopped Tosone for just a one-yard gain on fourth and three from the Bates 21.

The Bobcats were forced to punt on their next drive and Trinity's Nolan O'Brien returned the kick 37 yards to the Bates 43. The Bantams took advantage of the good field position, as Zander Zebrowski found Sean Clapp on third and goal from the Bates 10 for a touchdown, putting Trinity up 14-0 with 14:06 left in the second quarter.

Bates moved the ball well on their next drive with sophomore quarterback Seneca Moore (Lansing, Mich.), junior running back Jack Morrall (Hopkinton, N.H.), and Lynskey (Cranford, N.J.) taking turns running the ball to get the Bobcats to the Trinity 40. But the Bantams stopped a run on third down to force a punt. The Bobcats were able to flip the field position as junior punter Parker Huynh-Benningfield (Austin, Texas) pinned Trinity at their own 14-yard line. 

Then the Bobcat defense did their part once again. On third and 10 from the Trinity 25, sophomore Josh Ezerioha (Laurel Run, Pa.) broke through the Bantam offensive line and sacked Zebrowski back at the 12, forcing a punt.

Bates started the ensuing drive on the Trinity 47, but a big interception by Reynold Martini stopped the home team in their tracks.

The defense got another stop on the next Trinity drive and Bates trailed 14-0 at halftime.

Unfortunately, it was more of the same for the Bobcats in the second half, with the offense struggling to get things going. After forcing a Bates punt to start the third quarter, Trinity went on their first extended drive of the afternoon. The Bantams went 69 yards on nine plays, culminating in a four-yard touchdown pass from Zebrowski to Clapp, putting the Bantams up 21-0 with 7:42 to go in the third.

The teams traded punts and the Bobcats got the ball back with 4:17 to go in the quarter. On 3rd and 13 from their own 19, senior captain quarterback Colton Bosselait (Westminster, Mass.) found senior captain tight end Steven Guerrette (Bow, N.H.) for a 42-yard gain to the Trinity 39. It was the first pass completion for positive yards on the day for Bates.

A pair of big Lynskey runs put the ball at the Trinity 14 as the quarter came to a close. Five straight Lynskey runs to start the fourth quarter ended with a one-yard plunge into the end zone to cut the deficit to 21-7 with 12:50 remaining in regulation after sophomore Marcos Ruiz (Haskell, N.J.) made the extra point.

Bates got another stop on defense, only for an interception to end their next drive, as Ma-Lyke Davis picked off Bosselait at midfield and returned the ball to the Bobcat 30.

Four plays later, Zebrowski found O'Brien for a nine-yard touchdown, putting the Bantams up by 21 at 28-7 with 6:18 left.

Two more Trinity interceptions secured the win for the visitors.

Lynskey was a workhorse, carrying the ball 30 times for 102 yards and a touchdown, his first career 100-yard game. But three Bates quarterbacks combined for only four completions in 16 attempts for 64 yards and four interceptions.

Sophomore linebacker Ryan Rozich (Cromwell, Conn.) led Bates in tackles for the second straight game, finishing with 10 total stops, with six solo tackles. First-year Marquez Narvaez-Estrada (Montgomery Village, Md.) broke up two passes and chipped in six total tackles, including a tackle for loss. 

Zebrowski completed 23-30 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns. Jose Ruiz paced Trinity with eight total tackles.

Saturday's game is the fewest points Bates has allowed against Trinity since 2013. 

The Bobcats are back in action next Saturday when they visit Wesleyan for a 1 p.m. kick.