ANGOLA, Ind. - In their first postseason game since joining the MIAA, the Trine University baseball team didn’t disappoint the home crowd as they defeated Hope College 6-3. The Thunder advance to play top seeded Adrian tomorrow, May 10 at 10:00 a.m.
Trine (25-16) got things going as they scored two runs in the bottom of the first and one in the second to take the early lead and never look back.
Senior Josh Rivera (Somonauk, Ill./Somonauk) walked to lead off the first inning and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Recently named All-MIAA First Teamer senior Ryan Smith (Danville, Ind./Danville) delivered an RBI single to center. Smith would advance to second on a groundout, then come around to score on a single to center by junior Tom Wilder (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield).
In the second, senior Craig Rinkes (Medina, Ohio/Medina) led off the inning with a double to left, and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. On batter later, freshman Ethan Prebynski (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) knocked in Rinkes on a single to right.
Trine added a run in the fourth as leadoff batter senior Brian Hoeper (Angola, Ind./Angola) reached on a Hope error. Hoeper advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on a single from Prebynski.
Hope would get one back in the fifth on a two-out single.
The Thunder would answer right back as they plated another run in the bottom half of the inning on another RBI single by Wilder to score junior Matt Zurbriggen (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point).
Trine would score their final run in the eighth with two outs. Rivera and Zurbriggen would get back-to-back singles before Smith continued the streak with a single to bring home Rivera.
The Flying Dutchmen made it interesting though as they scored two in the top of the ninth before sophomore Jeremy Spaulding came on to record his nation-leading 11 save of the year, retiring three straight batters.
On the mound, junior Kale Popp (Rensselaer, Ind./Kankakee Valley) had an solid outing, going six innings, allowing just one earned run on six hits while striking out four. Junior Phil Stakely (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) came on in relief, pitching 1 1/3 while allowing just one hit. Nick Cocanower (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) retired just one batter in relief, while allowing two earned runs on two hits and a strikeout. Spaulding pitched the final inning of work, not allowing a runner to reach.
Smith led the Thunder at the plate going 3-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Wilder, Prebynski and Rivera each collected two hits on the afternoon. Rivera scored twice while Wilder and Prebynski both collected two RBI.
Trine will now look toward the Bulldogs in the winner’s bracket, as the two teams faced off less than a week ago, with each team taking two games.