ADRIAN, MICH.—After dropping the first game, the Trine baseball team rallied back to earn a walk-off victory in game two to earn a split with Hope in the MIAA-opener Monday afternoon at Nicolay Field.
After dropping the first game 16-4, the Thunder loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh of game two. Luke Porter (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) worked back from an 0-2 count draw a walk and bring Adam Sullivan (Fort Wayne, Ind./Elmhurst) home with the winning run. It was the second walk-off victory for Trine this season. Ethan Prebynski (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) drove in three runs on the day for the Thunder. Luke Brower and Eric Vashon each drove in four runs for Hope. Trine improves to 6-6 overall, and opens the conference season 1-1. The Flying Dutchmen are 4-7 overall and 1-1 in the MIAA.
Game One: Hope 16, Trine 4
The Flying Dutchmen scored all their runs in three big innings and Currey Thomas took a perfect game into the sixth as Hope earned the 16-4 victory.
Hope took advantage of some Trine defensive miscues in the first to plate six runs. Brower and Ryan Konkle each doubled home a run, while Vashon added a two-run double in the inning. Trine committed two errors in the inning.
Brower came through again the fourth with a two-run single as part of a five-run inning. The Dutch added five runs in the seventh.
Trine scored three in the bottom of the sixth after Jeff Phillips (Prospect, Ohio/Marion Pleasant) broke up Thomas' perfect-bid with an infield single. After an infield single by Kyle Auernhamer (Vassar, Mich./Vassar), Prebynski split the right-center gap for a two-run triple. Andrew DeGood (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton) hit a sacrifice fly to score Prebynski.
Mike Seaman (Liberty Township, Ohio/Lakota West) added an RBI-single in the bottom of the seventh for the final 16-4 margin.
Thomas went the distance for Hope, surrendering five hits and striking out seven to improve 2-1. He retired the first 15 batters in order.
Game Two:
A solid combined effort on the mound and some timely hitting led Trine to the 4-3 walk-off victory to earn the split.
Brady VanderWeele singled home a run in the top of the first to get the Dutch on the board, but Trine responded in the bottom of the frame. With runners at the corners and two out, Kory Shackle (Butler, Ohio/Mount Vernon) ripped a sharp grounder that Hope second baseman VanderWeele made a diving play on, but Shackle was able to beat the throw out. Prebynski scored to knot the score at 1-1.
A triple down the right field line by Jake Kendall (New Castle, Ind./New Castle) put Trine in business with none out in the bottom of the third. Prebynski lofted a sacrifice fly to center to score Kendall and make the score 2-1.
A bunt single by Alex Hunt drove in a run to tie the score at 2-2 in the top of the fourth. The Dutch took the lead an inning later when a run came in to score on an error.
Trine rallied back to tie the score in the bottom of the sixth. Zach Thorn (Portage, Ind./Portage) led off with a single through the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Prebynski. Drew Burgess (Middlebury, Ind./Northridge) followed with a single to right, with Thorn sliding in just ahead of the throw to tie the score.
Sullivan singled and advanced to second on another sac bunt by Prebynski to start the bottom of the seventh. Thorn was intentionally walked before an infield single by Shackle loaded the bases with one out. Following a strikeout, Porter fell behind 0-2 in the count. After fouling off two pitches, Porter laid off some borderline pitches to draw the walk and force home Sullivan with the winning run.
Jake Weimer (Pittsboro, Ind./Brownsburg) picked up the victory with 2.1 innings of shutout, no-hit relief. Weimer came on in relief of Andy Farrell (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio/St. Vincent St. Mary), who allowed two earned runs in 4.2 innings of work.
Trine is scheduled to return to action tomorrow at Hope at 2:00 p.m. The game will likely be rescheduled due to weather. Check back for information on a rescheduled date.