SYLVANIA, OHIO-- The Trine baseball team took game one before needing extra innings to prevail in a marathon game two to earn the sweep over Lourdes Thursday evening at Mercy Field.
The Thunder took game one 5-2 behind a strong pitching performance from junior Edward Tomich (Carmel, Ind./Westfield). Game two took 13 innings for Trine to pull out the 7-6 victory. The game is just the second 13-inning affair Trine has played in the Division III era, tying a 2007 matchup with Alma for the longest game during that span. Adam Sullivan (Fort Wayne, Ind./Elmhurst) had a solid day at the plate with four hits and three RBI's for TU. The sweep gives the Thunder three wins in a row. Trine is now 5-5 on the season. Lourdes falls to 0-10 overall.
Game One: Trine 5, Lourdes 2
Eight Thunder picked up at least one hit and Tomich went the distance to earn his first victory of the season.
Tomich allowed two earned runs on six hits, did not walk a batter and struck out three to improve to 1-1 on the season. The junior has shown excellent control through three starts this season, with just three walks in 18 innings of work.
The Thunder bats wasted no time in pushing across two runs in the top of the first. Ethan Prebynski (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) sete the table with a leadoff single. After a groundout, Jordan Baer (Fort Wayne, Ind./Leo) ripped a triple to left center to get Trine on the board. An RBI-single by Zach Thorn (Portage, Ind./Portage) made the score 2-0 after the top of the first.
A solo homer by Victor Diaz brought Lourdes back within 2-1 after four. Diaz had two hits in the game.
Trine responded in the top of the sixth. The Thunder loaded the bases on a walk by Drew Burgess (Middlebury, Ind./Northridge) and singles by Prebynski and Andrew DeGood (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton). Luke Porter (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) came up with the big hit, singling to left to score a pair of insurance runs and make the score 4-1.
An RBI-single by Sullivan in the top of the seventh pushed the Thunder lead to four. Josh Redies drove in a run in the bottom of the inning for the final 5-2 margin.
Prebynski, Thorn and Sullivan each had two hits for Trine. Josh Payzant was charged with the loss for the Gray Wolves.
Game Two: Trine 7, Lourdes 6 (13)
Kory Shackle (Butler, Ohio/Mount Vernon) scored on a dropped fly ball in the top of the 13th as the Thunder prevailed in extras.
The Thunder relief arms came up big in the victory, combining for 8.1 innings of shutout relief. Andy Farrell (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio/St. Vincent St. Mary), Jake Weimer (Pittsboro, Ind./Brownsburg), Porter and Vinny Slobodecki (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) combined to strike out six, while allowing just five hits. Slobodecki was credited with his first collegiate win, allowing a single hit and striking out two in his three innings of work.
The relief work kept the Thunder within striking distance before they were able to rally to tie the score in the top of the sixth. RJ Flowers (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton) drew a leadoff walk. Pinch-runner Shackle advanced to third on an error, and came in to tie the score at six on a sac fly by Jeff Phillips (Prospect, Ohio/Marion Pleasant).
The score would remain that way until the top of the 13th. Shackle singled and stole second with one out. He raced home with what would prove to be the winning run on a dropped fly to give the Thunder the final 7-6 margin.
With a hit in game two, Prebynski has now reached base via a hit or walk in all 10 of Trine's games this season. Sullivan drove in two runs in the game, while Thorn, DeGood and Jake Kendall (New Castle, Ind./New Castle) also knocked in a run apiece.
Marty Ramirez and Tyler Trame each had a pair of hits and two RBI's for Lourdes. Ryan Kovar added a solo home run.
Trine is scheduled to return to action Saturday, Mar. 22 when they will travel to Hope for their MIAA-opener. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.