ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University baseball team lost both games of a non-conference doubleheader against Albion (Mich.) College, 4-0 and 12-5, in the home opener at Jannen Field in Angola, Ind.
In game one, Albion (2-4) maintained a 1-0 margin for the majority of the contest with the lone run coming in the top of the first inning until the top of the seventh when Albion (2-4) scored three runs on three straight hits that included a pair of doubles and made the score, 4-1. Trine (0-4), had runners in scoring position in the bottom of the second and third innings, but couldn't get any runs across home plate as Albion came away with the 4-0 shutout.
The Thunder finished with four hits in the game led by sophomore Avery Fulford (Conifer, Colo./Conifer) who recorded two of those hits and finished two-of-three overall. Freshman Daniel Rumberger (Livonia, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central) and sophomore Matt Weis (Trenton, Ill./Triad) recorded the other hits for Trine and both went one-of-two at the plate.
Senior Drew Bradford (Huntington, Ind./Whitko) got the start on the mound and pitched six and two-thirds innings allowing just two runs on five hits and struck out five batters. Fellow senior Connor Dove (St. Joe, Ind./Eastside) pitched the final third of an inning and gave up two runs on three hits and tallied one strikeout.
Trine began game two with a run in the bottom of the second inning on a sacrifice fly by junior Trent Heh (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) with bases loaded. Albion then answered the Trine run with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning to grab a 2-1 advantage.
The Britons then blew the game open with a four-run fourth inning and added three more runs in the top of the sixth thanks to a three-run home run to lead, 9-1, after six innings of play. Trine gained a little ground in its half of the seventh inning when runs crossed home plate on a RBi double by senior A.J. Mitchell (Emmett, Mich./Kellogg C.C.) and a RBI-single by junior Brenden Warner (Richland, Mich./Hackett Catholic Prep) that made the score 9-3.
In the eighth inning, Albion got the runs back in the top half of the frame on a two-run single, but Trine added two runs of its own in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a two-RBI double by Fulford that kept the deficit at six runs, 11-5.
The Britons tacked on a final run in the ninth on a double to right center and then held Trine scoreless in its half of the inning to go on to post the 12-5 final and complete the two-game sweep.
Trine is scheduled to travel to Olivet, Mich. for a non-conference nine-inning game against Olivet College on Friday, Mar. 19. The first pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m.