OLIVET, MICH. -- The Trine University baseball team captured the four-game series against Olivet (Mich.) College with a two-game split of the second of two Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association doubleheaders.
In game one, Trine (13-15, 7-9 MIAA) scored two runs in the top of the third inning that came on a two-RBI double by junior Jacob Heller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Prairie Heights) that followed a double by senior Colton Conn (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill).
Olivet (7-19, 3-13 MIAA) cut the Thunder lead in half with a run-scoring base hit in the bottom of the sixth to make the score, 2-1.
In the seventh inning, Trine added to its lead with three runs on a two-run single by junior Cale Hall (Orleans, Ind./Orleans) with bases loaded and a wild pitch later in the frame to make it a 5-1 game. The Comets pulled to within three runs in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a two-run homerun. Olivet got another runner on base via a walk, but the Comets would already have two outs on the board and ended the game on a pop-up to seal the 5-3 victory for Trine.
Trine had six hits in game one with two players both recording a pair of hits in Hall and Heller. Both players finished two-of-four overall with Hall scoring a run and two RBI, while Heller finished with two RBI.
Sophomore Mike Gustin (Hudson, Ind./Prairie Heights) started at pitcher for the Thunder and picked up his fourth win of the season after going six full innings, allowing just a run on three hits and struck out four batters. Sophomore Caleb Deiter (Whiteland, Ind./Whiteland Community) came on to pitch the final inning and gave up two runs on one hit.
In the nightcap, Trine grabbed the first lead of the game in the top of the second when junior Stephen Sieczkowski (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Technical) platted a run on a single to left field that scored freshman A.J. Willis (Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington North).
The lead remained a run for Trine until the bottom of the fourth when Olivet scored a run on a base hit with two runners on to even the game at 1-1.
The difference in the game came in the home half of the seventh when the Comets hit what turned out to be a game-winning grand slam and held the Thunder scoreless the rest of the way en route to taking a 5-1 win for the split.
Trine had six hits in game two and was led by senior Kevin O'Malley (Commerce Twp., Mich./Walled Lake Central) with two hits in four attempts. Sieczkowski and Willis both went one-of-three with Sieczkowksi adding the RBI and Willis a run scored.
On the mound, freshman Adam Wheaton (Kalamazoo, Mich./Hackett Catholic Prep) got the start and pitched six and two-thirds innings with five runs on nine hits and had nine strikeouts for the second straight outing. In his last three games, Wheaton has tallied 11 and consecutive games with nine "K's." Freshman Kyle Robinson (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) came on to pitch the final inning-and-a-third and gave up no runs and just two hits to go along with a strikeout.
Trine will next begin a four-game series against Hope (Mich.) College beginning with a doubleheader scheduled for Friday, Apr. 20 at Jannen Field. The first game on Friday is scheduled for 2 p.m.