ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University baseball team concluded the 2018 season with a two-game split in the final Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association doubleheader against Albion (Mich.) College at Jannen Field on senior day.
The Trine (19-21, 13-15 MIAA) bats struggled in game one as the Thunder totaled just two hits. Albion (10-30, 8-20 MIAA) grabbed the early lead with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning. The lead remained a pair of runs until the top of the fifth when the Britons added two more scores thanks to a two-run double with runners on first and second base to increase the margin to 4-0.
Trine then recorded three straight one-two-three innings following the final Albion runs in the fifth resulting in the Britons claiming the 4-0 victory.
Juniors Jacob Heller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Prairie Heights) and Zachary Schulte (Sterling Heights, Mich./Warren Cousino) were the two Thunder players to record hits with Schulte finishing one-of-two and Heller going one-of-three.
Freshman Adam Wheaton (Kalamazoo, Mich./Hackett Catholic Prep) pitched a complete game, but would suffer the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits and had seven strikeouts.
The Trine offense got things going early in the second game scoring all five of its runs in the bottom of the first inning that included RBI-base hits by Heller, sophomore Thomas Rivet (Howell, Mich./Hartland) and a two-run single by junior Stephen Sieckowski (Nowich, Conn./Norwich Technical). The other Thunder score came on a defensive error as the home team led, 5-0, after one frame.
Albion got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning with a pair of runs that came on a RBI-double and then a defensive error to cut into the Trine lead, 5-2.
But that was a close as the Britons got as neither team scored another run with the help of a solid relief effort by Trine freshman Conner Dove (St. Joe, Ind./Eastside) who did not allow a run in five innings.
Trine had a better day at the plate in the nightcap with 12 hits, led by Sieczkowski who tallied three of those hits in four at-bats to go along with two RBI. Three other players had multi-hit games that included senior Kevin O'Malley (Commerce, Twp., Mich./Walled Lake Central) who was two-of-three and also scored a run. Heller and junior Cale Hall (Orleands, Ind./Orleans) both ended the game two-of-four with Heller scoring a run and RBI, while Cale Hall added a run scored.
Senior Dylan Hutchison (Montpelier, Ohio/North Central) started on the mound and pitched four innings. He allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits and struck out five batters in a no decision. Dove ended up with the victory after pitching five shutout innings with just two hits allowed and had three strikeouts.