LEESBURG, FLA. -- The Trine University baseball team had 20 hits and drove in 18 runs in an 18-9 victory against Gwynedd (Pa.) Mercy University to claim its third straight win to start its annual Florida trip.
Junior Joe Fiorucci (St. Joseph, Mich./St. Joseph) recorded four of the team's 20 base hits (four-of-six overall) in addition to scoring a pair of runs and a RBI. Fellow juniors Jake Conley (Moline, Ill./Blawk Hawk CC) and Shayne Devine (Valparaiso, Ind./Portage) also had big days at the plate with both tallying two hits in five at-bats and scored two runs each. Conley also drove in a game-high four runs and Devine added three RBI.
Senior Thomas Rivet (Howell, Mich./Hartland) went two-of-five and scored a game-high three runs to go along with a RBI. Junior A.J. Mitchell (Emmett, Mich./Kellogg CC) continues to have a great start to the season with a two-of-five effort against GMU in addition to two runs scored and two RBI. Seniors Chase Hall (Orleans, Ind./Orleans) and Jake Roddy (Angola, Ind./Angola) rounded out the multi-hit efforts with Hall going two-of-three with a run scored and a pair of RBI. Roddy had two hits in six appearances at the plate and scored two runs.
Four other Trine players each recorded a hit in the game, including senior Jacob Douglass (Frankfort, Ind./Western) who was one-of-three with two runs scored and two RBI.
Senior Shawn Ligocki (West Chicago, Ill./St. Charles East) started at pitcher for Trine and went seven full innings to get the win and allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits and had five strikeouts. Sophomore Shawn Conover (Kenton, Ohio/Kenton Senior) pitched an inning of relief and gave up two unearned runs on two hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts. Junior Connor Dove (St. Joe, Ind./Eastside) came on to pitch the final inning and allowed four runs, one earned, on two hits.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the third inning when Trine (4-2) started off the frame with back-to-back singles by Roddy and Fiorucci. Roddy advanced to third on Fiorucci's base knock and later scored on a RBI-single by Douglass to give the Thunder a 1-0 margin.
Trine then blew the game open with a combined 17 runs in three innings, starting with a nine-run fifth inning that was highlighted by a three-run double with bases loaded by Devine. The Thunder then added six more runs in the top of the sixth that included a pair of two-run hits on a double by Conley and then a single by Hall during the very next at-bat that made it a 16-0 game.
Trine tacked on two more runs in the seventh thanks to a pair of defensive errors resulting in an 18-0 lead. The shutout stayed intact until the bottom of the eighth when GMU got on the board with five runs and then added four more runs in the ninth to end the scoring as Trine went on to the 18-9 final.
Trine is scheduled to take on Widener (Pa.) University in a single, nine-inning game tomorrow (Tuesday, Mar. 3) at Lake Myrtle Complex in Auburndale, Fla. The first pitch between the two teams is slated for 4 p.m.