ANGOLA, Ind. - In their first conference series of the season, the Trine University baseball squad earned a split with Calvin, winning game one 9-4 and falling in the second game 4-3. The split puts the Thunder at 5-5 overall on the season.
In the opener, the Knights jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a bases loaded walk and then a double play.
Trine would pull away in the fourth as they plated six runs in the inning on three hits and three Calvin errors.
With two runners on, freshman Carter Stafford (Waterloo, Ind./DeKalb) laid down a bunt single. After the Calvin pitcher fielded the ball, he threw wildly over the third baseman’s head allowing junior Andrew DeGood (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton) to score. Sophomore Ethan Prebynski (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) then singled to plate another run. After a walk, Stafford would score on a wild pitch. Prebynski would score on a Calvin error and senior Matt Zurbriggen (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) scored on an RBI ground out by sophomore Jordan Baer (Fort Wayne, Ind./Leo). Trine would get their final run on a single to center by sophomore R.J. Flowers (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton).
Calvin would answer with a two-run fifth to close the gap to 6-4 on an RBI ground out and an infield single.
It wouldn’t take long for the Thunder to answer back as they scored twice more in the bottom of the inning. Junior Adam Sullivan (Fort Wayne, Ind./Elmhurst) led off the inning with a double. After a sacrifice bunt, Sullivan would score on a single by Prebynski. Senior Tom Wilder (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield) would then triple to score to plate Prebynski.
In the sixth, Trine would get another run on a leadoff double by freshman Kory Shackle (Butler, Ohio/Mount Vernon). After DeGood reached on a bunt single, Shackle would score on a passed ball.
Senior Kale Popp (Rensselaer, Ind./Kankakee Valley) earned his third win on the mound for the Thunder, going five innings while allowing four earned runs on six hits and striking out seven. Fellow senior Phil Stakely (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) came on for the final two innings and allowed just one hit while striking out one.
In the rubber match, the Thunder would be the first to score as they plated a run in the third. After a leadoff walk to Sullivan, Stafford would reach on an infield bunt single. One out later, Sullivan would score on an RBI ground out by Zurbriggen.
Trine would add another run in the fourth. With one out, Baer singled through the right side. After a walk and then a single by DeGood, Sullivan would drive in Baer on a ground out.
Calvin would plate their first run in the top of the fifth after back-to-back leadoff singles led to a sacrifice fly.
The Knights would take control in the sixth as they scored three times in the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Thunder tried to make a comeback. Stafford led off the inning by depositing the first pitch over the left field wall for his first collegiate home run. With one out, Zurbriggen reached on an infield single. Then, with two outs Wilder would single to left. Both runners would move up a base on a wild pitch but the comeback attempt would come to an end on a ground out.
Senior Jake Rightnowar (Oregon, Ohio/Toledo Christian) would take the loss for the Thunder as he allowed two earned runs in five and one third innings on nine hits while striking out two. Fellow senior Nick Cocanower (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) came on to finish off the game not allowing a hit and striking out a batter.
For the day, Prebynski led the Thunder going 5-for-9 with two RBI and two stolen bases. DeGood collected four hits on the day while Stafford and Wilder each collected three hits. Sullivan led the Thunder on the day with three runs scored.
Trine will have a day off before returning to action on March 29 for another conference doubleheader at Albion starting at 2:00 p.m.
