WINTER HAVEN, Fla.—The Trine baseball team wrapped up the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on Friday afternoon with a 4-3 win over Framingham State.
Trine improves to 5-3 on the season, while Rams fall to 5-6.
Framingham State led throughout the game, but the Thunder rallied in the top of the ninth to score four runs to win the game. Kevin O'Malley (Commerce Township, Mich./Walled Lake Central) drove in the game-winning run with a sac fly to right field.
Colton Conn (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill) and Nick Ricci (Hebron, Ind./Crown Point) each had two hits for the Thunder. Robert Ross (Valparaiso, Ind./Washington Township) drove in two runs, while Zach Seder (Saginaw, Mich./Valley Lutheran) and O'Malley each had one RBI.
Vinny Slobodecki (Carol Steam, Ill./Glenbard North) started for the Thunder going five innings. The senior allowed only two hits, no earned runs and struck out six batters. Ben Wheaton (Kalamazoo, Mich./Hackett Catholic Central) earned his second win of the season, pitching four innings, striking out six.
Jordan Pallazola led the Rams with two hits and an RBI. Kevin Connelly pitched 8.1 innings for Framingham State giving up five hits and striking out eight. Brian Quinn took the loss for the Rams.
After three scoreless innings, the Rams took the lead in the bottom of the fourth after a run scored off a Thunder fielding error. The Rams added two more unearned runs in the eighth to hold a 3-0 lead.
In the top of the ninth with one out, Jacob Heller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Prairie Heights) singled through the left side and advanced to second off a single by Drew Palmer (Hartford, Wisc./Hartford Union). Jake LaBounty (Avon, Ind./Covenant Christian) loaded the bases with a hit to centerfield. Seder drove in the first run with a hit to left. Ross singled up the middle to drive in two runs, and O'Malley flew out to right field to allow Seder to score the game-winning run.
The Thunder will open its home slate on March 21 when it will play host to Ohio Northern for a 4 p.m. game.
