GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Trine University baseball team earned a series split with Calvin College as the two teams split their second doubleheader of conference play as they dropped game one 7-2 before rallying for the comeback win in game two 6-3. The Thunder are now 7-7 on the season and 2-2 in conference play.
The Thunder would strike first in the opener, plating a run in the top of the second. With one out, Brian Hoeper (Angola, Ind./Angola) single to left field. After a walk to senior Craig Rinkes (Medina, Ohio/Medina), Matt Zurbriggen (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) singled to right center scoring Hoeper from second. After another single, the Thunder would hit into an inning ending double play.
The Knights countered by putting up four runs in the bottom of the inning in part to two Trine errors. It could have been worse for the Thunder but a 6-4-3 double play helped Trine limit the damage.
In the top of the fourth, junior Zach Ebersole (Eldorado, Ohio/National Trail) led off the inning getting hit by a pitch, then, with one out, Rinkes singled to put runners on first and second. After a Knights passed ball, Zurbriggen would hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Ebersole from third.
Calvin would answer back with a run in the bottom of the fourth before tacking on an insurance run in the sixth as Trine was unable to mound a comeback in the final inning.
On the mound for the Thunder, junior Phil Stakely (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) suffered the loss throwing 2 2/3 innings, allowing just one earned run on eight hits while striking out and walking a batter. Senior Chas Amadeo (Syracuse, Ind./Wawasee) came in to pitch a 1/3 inning, allowing an earned run on a hit and a walk. Junior Nick Cocanower (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) pitched the final three innings giving up just one earned run on two hits while striking out two.
Seniors Josh Rivera (Somonauk, Ill./Somonauk) and Nick Beitler (Canton, Ohio/Glen Oak) led the Thunder offense, going 2-for-3 in the game.
Pitching dominated the first three innings of game two, as the two teams combined for just four hits to start the game.
The Knights would break the game open in the bottom of the fourth as they scored three runs after a leadoff walk and three hits in the inning.
It would take the Trine offense till the sixth inning to get going, but it would be all the offense they would need. For the inning, the Thunder plated six runs on just one hit, aided by two Knights errors.
After a groundout to start the inning, the Thunder earned three straight walks to load the bases. Senior Brandon Nothnagel (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) delivered for the Thunder with a one-out single to left scoring Rivera. After the Thunder added on another run when the Calvin shortstop made an error, Trine scored two more runs on back-to-back hit batters. The Thunder would tack on a run on a Calvin fielder’s choice before adding their final run on another Calvin error.
Junior Jake Rightnowar (Oregon, Ohio/Toledo Christian) would shut down the Knights in order in the final two innings to give the Thunder the win.
Rightnowar earned the win pitching the final 3 1/3 innings, not allowing a hit while striking out one and walking two. Freshman Brandon Siddons (Churubusco, Ind./Churubusco) started the game for the Thunder allowing three earned runs on six hits, striking out four batters while walking two.
Four different players registered hits for the Thunder in the final game, while Nothnagel, Zurbriggen and freshman Ethan Prebynski (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb ) each knocked in an RBI for the game.
Trine will travel for a non-conference game on March 28 when they face Siena Heights for a single nine inning game beginning at 4:00 p.m.