HOLLAND, Mich. - The Trine University baseball team nearly pulled off the comeback in the finals of the MIAA Tournament as they defeated Adrian 6-2 in the first game to force the if-necessary game two. The Thunder fell in the winner-take-all battle 3-2 in 10 innings. The Thunder end their season 25-20.
Trine jumped out to the early lead in game one as they plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Junior Adam Sullivan (Fort Wayne, Ind./Elmhurst) got things going as he scored on an Adrian error. Freshman Kory Shackle (Butler, Ohio/Mount Vernon) would follow with an RBI groundout that plated senior Tom Wilder (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield).
The Bulldogs would tie the game in the fourth on a Trine error followed by a single.
In the fifth, Trine would add a run on a single by Sullivan that scored junior Jeff Phillips (Prospect, Ohio/Marion Pleasant). The Thunder added a pair of runs in the sixth on a double by junior Andrew DeGood (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton) and another in the eighth on a single by Phillips.
On the mound, senior Kyle Lidster (Griffith, Ind./Griffith) pitched a gem as he threw a complete game, not allowing an earned run and just three hits while striking out three batters.
In the final game of the tournament, the Thunder would again jump out to the early lead as they plated a run in the bottom of the second on a double by DeGood.
Trine would add a run in the bottom of the third on a single by sophomore Jordan Baer (Fort Wayne, Ind./Leo) that scored Sullivan.
Adrian would tie the game in the sixth as they plated a run on a double play by Trine and added another on a single. The Bulldogs would score the game-winner in the 10th with one out on a single.
The Thunder would get a pair of runners on in the bottom of the 10th with just one out, but were unable to plate the tying run.
Sophomore Jakeb Briscoe (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) took the no decision going 8 1/3 innings and surrendering two runs on eight hits but struck out eight Adrian batters. Senior Jake Rightnowar (Oregon, Ohio/Toledo Christian) came on to pitch 1/3 of an inning and retired the only batter he faced. Fellow senior Nick Cocanower (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) suffered the loss going 1 1/3 innings, giving up three hits and an earned run.
The 25 wins by the Thunder squad tied last year’s team for the most wins in coach Greg Perschke’s 12-year career at Trine.