HOLLAND, Mich.—The Trine baseball team dropped a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Hope to split the four game series with the Flying Dutchmen.
Trine moves to 16-13 overall and is 10-10 in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association competition. Hope improves to 19-13 and 12-8 in conference action.
GAME ONE: Hope 4, Trine 2
Bob Ross (Valparaiso, Ind./Washington Township) continued his hard hitting from Friday adding two hits and an RBI for the Thunder. Jacob Heller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Prairie Heights) drove in Trine's other run. Grant Frankland (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) pitched a complete game taking the loss.
Hope was led by Danny Carrasco driving in two runs. JP Batts and Jordon Fairchild each added an RBI. Nick Holt improved to 4-2 on the season pitching a complete game. Holt allowed two runs while striking out five.
With two outs in the top of the first, Drew Palmer (Hartford, Wisc./Hartford Unio) walked and was driven in by Heller off a double to left field.
Hope answered in the bottom of the inning driving in three runs off three hits.
After two scoreless innings, Hope added another run in the bottom of the fourth.
In the top of the fifth, Ross drove in Palmer with a single to right field.
The Flying Dutch held on in the sixth and seventh to win the game.
GAME TWO: Hope 15, Trine 7
The Flying Dutchmen took advantage of a heavy-hitting seventh inning to drive in seven runs to win the game. Hope hit 10 doubles in the game.
Trine was led by Heller and Zach Seder (Saginaw, Mich./Valley Lutheran) with two hits each. Palmer drove in two runs, while Heller and Jake LaBounty (Avon, Ind./Covenant Christian) each had one RBI. Jacob Stauffer (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) took the loss for the Thunder coming in from the bullpen to pitch three and a third inning.
Hope was led by Mason Opple with four hits and three RBI. Nick Lepore drove in two runs off two hits along with Danny Carrasco and Trace Slancik. Michael Thomas earned his first win of the season pitching 5.1 innings from the bullpen allowing two runs and striking out three.
In the top of the first with one out, Trine had Palmer and Schulte on first and second after Schulte was hit by a pitch and Palmer walked. Heller was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ross walked to drive in Schulte. LaBounty reached base on a Hope error to score a second run to put the Thunder up, 2-0.
The Flying Dutch answered in the bottom of the inning with one run off a single to left field from Opple.
Hope added one more run in the second and the third to hold a 3-2 advantage.
In the top of the fourth with two outs, the Thunder had the bases loaded after Kevin O'Malley (Commerce Township, Mich./Walled Lake Central) was hit by a pitch, and Schulte and Colton Conn (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill) walked. Palmer drove in two runs off a single to left field and Heller followed driving in a run with a single to right. Palmer scored off a wild pitch.
Hope quickly grabbed back the lead in the bottom of the inning scoring four runs off three hits.
After two scoreless innings, the Thunder tied the game at seven all when LaBounty drove in a run.
Hope notched five doubles in the bottom of the inning to pull ahead and score seven runs off six hits and one error. The Flying Dutch added an insurance run in the eighth.
The Thunder returns home on April 28 when it will play host to Adrian for a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Jannen Field.