ANGOLA, IND.-- The Trine baseball team was swept by Kalamazoo in MIAA-action Friday afternoon at Jannen Field.
The Hornets took game one, 5-3 and followed that up with an 8-3 victory in the nightcap to secure the sweep. Scott Devine had three hits and four RBI's to lead Kalamazoo, while Ian Kobernick homered and drove in three runs. Andrew DeGood had two hits and an RBI for Trine. The games had originally been scheduled to be played at Kalamazoo, but field conditions from bad weather forced a move to Trine for the opening doubleheader of the series. The Thunder fall to 13-25 overall and 8-18 in the MIAA. Kalamazoo is 16-22 overall and 14-12 in league play.
Game One: Kalamazoo 5, Trine 3
A two-run sixth broke open a tie game and gave the Hornets the victory.
The two teams traded two-run first innings. Devine hit a two-run homer to center to produce Kalamazoo's runs. Jeff Phillips (Prospect, Ohio/Marion Pleasant) scored on an error and Luke Porter (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) ripped an RBI-single to answer in the Thunder half of the inning.
An RBI-groundout by Brett Garwood gave the Hornets a 3-2 lead in the top of the second, but an RBI-groundout by DeGood tied the score right back up in the bottom of the third.
The Hornets scored what would prove to be the game-winning runs on an error in the sixth. Kobernick picked up an RBI on the play.
Dylan Pierce picked up the victory for Kalamazoo. Pierce allowed three unearned runs on three hits, walked four and struck out three. He is now 3-2 on the season.
Game Two: Kalamazoo 8, Trine 3
The Hornets pounded out 11 hits to earn the sweep.
The numbers two-through-six hitters in the Kalamazoo lineup were responsible for all eight Hornet RBI's in game two. Devine doubled and drove in two runs, while Kobernick homered and knocked in a pair to lead the way.
Jordan Baer (Fort Wayne, Ind./Leo) picked up the lone Thunder RBI with a run-scoring single to center in the first. Zach Thorn (Portage, Ind./Portage) had two hits for Trine.
The Thunder honored seniors DeGood, Phillips, Gus Tanner (Benzonia, Mich./Benzie Central), Adam Sullivan (Fort Wayne, Ind./Elmhurst) and Jeremy Spalding (Toledo, Ohio/Toledo Central Catholic) as they played the final home games of their Thunder careers.
DeGood, Phillips and Spalding each provided leadership for the team as team captains. Spalding will leave Trine as the school's all-time leader in saves with 18. DeGood was recently named the recipient of Trine's Robert L. Greim Award for his performance on the playing field and beyond it in the classroom and community. Phillips became a fixture in the Thunder lineup with his versatility and ability to play multiple positions over the last two seasons.
Tanner spent his time at Trine as a catcher. Tanner earned the start at DH in game two, drawing a walk and scoring a run. Sullivan is a .274 career hitter with 30-career RBI's, while primarily handling shortstop duties.
The two teams wrap up the series Sunday at Kalamazoo. The series will be the final games for Trine this season.