OLIVET, Mich. - It was another good day for the Trine University baseball team as they swept their season series against Olivet College, winning 3-1 and 6-2. The Thunder improve to 18-14 on the season and 12-8 in the MIAA as they continue to hold onto the second spot in the standings.
After neither team was able to score in the first two innings of game one but Trine broke the scoring open in the third with a leadoff single by senior Brian Hoeper (Angola, Ind./Angola). After a sacrifice bunt by freshman Ethan Prebynski (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) moved Hoper to second, senior Josh Rivera (Somonauk, Ill./Somonauk) was hit by a pitch. One out later, senior Ryan Smith (Danville, Ind./Danville) came through for the Thunder, delivering a single to center to score Hoeper.
Olivet would answer back in the bottom of the inning on a two-out error by the Thunder followed by a double allowed a run to score
The Thunder would get the game-winner the very next inning as they plated to final two runs.
Junior Tom Wilder (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield) led off the inning with a double to left and senior Craig Rinkes (Medina, Ohio/Medina) moved him to third on a sacrifice bunt. Wilder would then come in to score on an RBI groundout by sophomore Andrew DeGood (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton). Then on a 2-1 pitch, Hoeper would hit his first home run of the season on a shot to left.
That would be all the help freshman starter Braxton Siddons (Churubusco, Ind./Churubusco) and closer, sophomore Jeremy Spaulding (Toledo, Ohio/Toledo Central Catholic), would need as they combined to shutout the Comets in the final four innings.
Siddons finished the day going six innings, allowing just the one unearned run on five hits while striking out four. Spaulding came on to pick up his conference-leading seventh save despite allowing a hit and a walk in the seventh while earning a strikeout.
Wilder led the Thunder at the dish with a perfect 3-3 performance with a run scored. Hoeper also had a nice game at the plate going 2-3 with two runs scored.
Game two saw the Thunder get thing going early as they plated a run in the top of the first. Trine would load the bases after an Olivet error was followed by a single to center by sophomore Ben Witter (Naples, Fla./Golden Gate) and a walk to Smith. Wilder would then deliver a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Rivera.
Neither team would score again until the sixth, as Olivet plated two runs to take the lead. The Comets had just one hit in the inning, as Trine committed two errors.
Trine would rally back in the top of the seventh as they tallied five runs in the inning, on three hits and aided by three Olivet errors.
Junior Steve Cornett (Bremen, Ind./Bremen) and Hoeper got the inning started with back-to-back singles. Trine would score their first run in the inning on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Prebynski. Junior Matt Zurbriggen (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) would single to right scoring another run. Prebynski would score on the next play as the Comet’s shortstop committed a throwing error. Wilder would then reach on yet another error by the shortstop, allowing Smith and Zurbriggen to score.
Spaulding would come on again in the seventh, in a non-save situation, to shut down the Comets.
Senior Mike Sentman (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) pitched another solid game on the mound for the Thunder going 5 1/3 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on just three hits while striking out five. Fellow senior Phil Cappelletty (Tipton, Mich./Adrian) earned the win after coming on in relief, pitching 2/3 an inning.
Eight different batters collected hits in game two as all six runs were scored by six different players. Wilder and Zurbriggen were the only players to collect an RBI in the game.
Trine will look to continue their hold on the number two spot in the conference as they host Kalamazoo on April 28 for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.