GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. -- The Trine University baseball team lost both games in the second of two Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association doubleheaders against Calvin (Mich.) College, losing the first game, 4-0, and the second, 10-5, at Calvin Field in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Trine (7-9, 0-4 MIAA) outhit Calvin (8-8, 4-3 MIAA), 6-2, in the first game, but committed three defensive errors that led to three of the four runs by the Knights. Calvin got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning with three runs that came on a sacrifice fly and a pair of errors that led to a run scoring on each play.
Calvin platted another run in the fourth on a fielding error with runners on second and third base to increase the margin to 4-0.
In the seventh inning, the Thunder had a pair of runners on base with one out, highlighted by a double by junior Nick Ricci (Hebron, Ind./Crown Point) in the second at-bat of the inning, but the Calvin pitching got Trine to hit into a game-ending double play to go on to win by the final of 4-0.
Six different players each recorded a hit for Trine in the game. Ricci was one of five players to finish one-of-three at the plate.
Freshman Bryce Bloode (New Carlisle, Ind./New Prairie) made his first collegiate start on the mound, and his fourth appearance overall this season, but suffered the loss after pitching three and two-thirds innings and gave up four runs, one earned, on two hits and had a strikeout. Sophomore Drew Cebulak (Oakmont, Pa./Central Catholic) pitched the final two-and-a-third innings and allowed no hits or runs and had one strikeout.
In the nightcap, Calvin took the early lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning. But the lead didn't last long as Trine struck for four runs in the top of the second thanks to series of defensive errors that made the score, 4-1. The Knights got one of the runs back in its half of the inning on a RBI-base hit with a runner on second base and cut the deficit to 4-2.
Calvin regained the lead in the fifth with four runs that included a pair of run-scoring hits with bases loaded that put the Knights ahead, 7-4. Calvin platted another run in the seventh to extend the margin to 8-4. Both teams scored runs in the eighth inning with Trine scoring a run on a ground out by junior Chase Hall (Orleans, Ind./Orleans). But the Knights responded with a pair of runs in their eighth inning to make it a five-run difference, 10-5.
In the top of the ninth, Calvin got Trine to hit into back-to-back-to-back outs to end the game and preserve the five-run victory.
Trine recorded eight hits in the game and had two players finish with multiple hits in senior Jacob Heller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Prairie Heights) and junior Jake Roddy (Angola, Ind./Angola). Heller went two-of-five to go along with a run scored, while Roddy was two-of four in addition to scoring a run.
Chase Hall ended the game one-of-four with the RBI and also scored a run.
On the mound, sophomore Drew Bradford (Huntington, Ind./Whitko) started the game and went three innings while allowing seven runs, four earned, on seven hits and struck out two batters in the loss.
Trine is scheduled to begin a four-game series against MIAA opponent Kalamazoo (Mich.) College on Wednesday, Apr. 3 with a doubleheader at Jannen Field. The first game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
