ADRIAN, MICH. -- The Trine University baseball team fell in a pair of Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association games against Adrian (Mich.) College, 7-1 and 21-9, at Nicolay Field in Adrian, Mich.
In game one, Adrian (10-5, 4-0 MIAA) scored a run in the top of the first inning on a defensive error, but Trine (0-13, 0-4 MIAA) answered back in the bottom of the second with a run off of a single by senior Shayne Devine (Valparaiso, Ind./Portage) that scored junior Brenden Warner (Richland, Mich./Hackett Catholic Prep) who led off the inning with a double.
The Bulldogs went on to score runs in the third and fourth innings to regain the lead and then broke the game open with a four-run top of the sixth highlighted by a two-run double. The four runs by Adrian in the sixth were the final runs of the game as the Bulldogs went on to win by the final of 7-1.
Trine had five hits in the game and one player finish with multiple hits in sophomore Adam Steffanelli (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville North) who finished two-of-three. Devine and Warner both finished the game one-of-three with Devine adding the RBI and Warner the run scored.
Senior Drew Bradford (Huntington, Ind./Whitko) made the start for Trine on the mound and went five and two-thirds innings, but ended up with the loss after allowing six runs, four earned, on six hits and struck out five batters. Fellow senior Drew Cebulak (Oakmont, Pa./Central Catholic) pitched the final inning-and-a-third and gave up one run on five hits.
In game two, Adrian struck first by plating three runs in the top of the second frame, but Trine rallied with six runs in their half of the inning that included a two-run scoring double by Warner with bases loaded and a two-run single by Devine that made the score 6-3 in favor of the Thunder.
The Bulldogs got another run in the third on a solo home run, but again, Trine answered by hitting a solo homer of its own by sophomore Cory Erbskorn (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold) to lead-off its half of the inning to regain a three-run lead, 6-3.
After a scoreless fourth inning, the Adrian offense exploded for 13 runs in the fifth to take a sizeable lead with a 17-7 margin. Adrian continued the offensive spurt with a three-run top of the sixth that increased the Trine deficit to 20-7. The Thunder got two runs in the bottom of the sixth that came on a fielder's choice with Erbskorn at the plate and then a RBI-single by Stefanelli.
The two runs by Trine in the sixth were the last for the Thunder as the Bulldogs tacked on another run in the seventh to end the scoring in the game and cruise to the 21-9 final.
Trine accumulated 13 hits in the nightcap led by Warner who finished two-of-two with a pair of runs scored and RBI. Junior Quin Fauquher (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) had two hits in three at-bats to go along with a RBI. The duo of Stefanelli and senior Joe Fiorucci (St. Joseph, Mich./St. Joseph) rounded out the multi-hitters by both finishing two-of-four with Stefanelli adding a run scored and RBI, while Fiorucci added a run scored.
Five Trine pitchers were used in the game with freshman Josh Hoogewerf (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) getting the start. Hoogewerf ended up with a no decision after going three-and-a-third innings and gave up four runs, two earned, on six hits and had two strikeouts. Freshman Kade Keele (Fort Wayne, Ind./New Haven) suffered the loss after allowing six runs on five hits in an inning-and-a-third in addiiton to striking out two batters.
Trine is next scheduled to travel to Alma, Mich. for a MIAA four-game series against Alma College starting on Friday, Apr. 2. The first game is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.