ADRIAN, MICH. -- The Trine Unversity baseball team opened a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association four-game series against Adrian (Mich.) College with a pair of losses in the first of two doubleheaders, 3-1 and 15-5, at Nicolay Field in Adrian, Mich.
In game one, Adrian (26-5, 20-2 MIAA) broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning with a pair of runs on a run-scoring double that was followed by a single that platted another run.
Trine (17-17, 11-11 MIAA) cut the deficit in half with a score in the top of the sixth that came on a RBI-single by junior Jacob Heller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Prairie Heights) to make the score 2-1. But the Bulldogs answered the Thunder run with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning to extend the margin back to two runs, 3-1, heading into the seventh inning.
In the top of the seventh, the Trine bats fell silent as Adrian got the Thunder to record three straight outs via strikeout to end the game and claim a 3-1 final.
As a team, Trine recorded six hits in the game with six different players each recording a hit. Heller ended the game one-of-three to go along with his RBI. Senior Colton Conn (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill) scored the team's only run and also went one-of-three at the plate.
Senior Ben Wheaton (Kalamazoo, Mich./Hackett Catholic Central) pitched the entire game and gave up three runs on eight hits and struck out four batters in six innings.
In the second half, Adrian began the game with seven straight runs with two scores in the bottom of the first inning and then a five-run second to lead 7-0.
Trine got on the scoreboard in the top of the third that came on a three-run homerun by Heller. But momentum quickly swung back over the home team as the Bulldogs posted four runs in the bottom of the third to extend the margin to 11-3.
Adrian continued the offense with runs in the fourth and sixth innings to make it a 13-3 game.
Later in the seventh inning, the Thunder had bases loaded, but with two outs, and got a run across home plate on a single by sophomore Chase Hall (Orleans, Ind./Orleans) to make the score 13-4. The Bulldogs then tacked on two more runs in the eighth to round out the Bulldog scoring.
Trine platted its final run on a wild pitch that was followed by a throwing error which allowed junior Chris Frantz (Niles, Mich./Niles) to score. But the run would come a little too late as the Thunder then recorded three consecutive outs to end the game and give the Bulldogs the 15-5 victory and the two-game sweep.
Three players recorded multi-hit games for Trine with Heller and senior Kevin O'Malley (Commerce Twp., Mich./Walled Lake Central) both going two-of-three. Heller also scored a pair of runs to go along with his three RBI. Conn was two-of-five at the plate and also scored a run.
On the mound, Trine used five pitchers with freshman Conner Dove (St. Joe, Ind./Eastside) making the start and pitched an inning-and-a-third allowing seven runs on eight hits. He would also be given the loss and is 2-1 on the year.
The two teams will wrap-up the series tomorrow (Saturday, Apr. 28) with another doubleheader that will be played at Jannen Field in Angola. The first pitch of the opening game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m