ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University baseball team concluded its Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association four-game series against Olivet (Mich.) College with a pair of one-sided victories, 14-0 and 14-2, at Jannen Field in Angola, Ind.
Trine (5-16, 5-7 MIAA) took the lead in game one in the bottom of the second inning that started with a lead-off double by sophomore Adam Stefanelli (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville North) who scored two batters later when fellow sophomore Matt Weis (Trenton, Ill./Triad) hit a single through the right side of the infield.
The Thunder then broke the game open with a seven-run third inning with all runs scored with two outs. Weis, seniors Joe Fiorucci (St. Joseph, Mich./St. Joseph), Jake Conley (Moline, Ill./Black Hawk CC), Shayne Devine (Valparaiso, Ind./Portage) and A.J. Mitchell (Emmett, Mich./Kellogg CC) all recorded RBI-singles during the scoring run that put Trine ahead by a commanding, 8-0, margin.
Trine kept the offense going in the bottom of the fourth with two more runs that came off the bat of Conley on a single with bases loaded that scored two and increased the lead to 10-0. The final runs all came in the sixth inning with Trine scoring four times starting with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly by junior Quin Fauquher (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown). Later in the inning, freshman Dalton Nikirk (Bedford, Ind./Bedford North Lawrence) scored Trine's second run on a passed ball with bases loaded. During the next at-bat, Mitchell connected on a double that plated two additional runs to end the scoring as the Thunder cruised to a 14-0 win.
The Trine bats recorded 13 hits and was led by Stefanelli who went three-of-four with three runs scored. Weiss was a perfect two-of-two at the plate to go along with two runs scored and a pair of RBI. Conley had two hits in three at-bats in the lead-off position and scored once while driving in three runs. Mitchell and Fiorucci both recorded two hits in four plate appearances. Mitchell also scored a run and had three RBI, while Fiorucci scored a run and a RBI.
Senior Adam Wheaton (Kalamazoo, Mich./Hackett Catholic Prep) had an impressive day on the mound pitching all seven innings and gave up no runs and five hits while striking out 10 batters to claim his second win of the season (2-3 overall).
In the nightcap, Trine scored at least a run in every inning beginning with a run in the bottom of the first that came off of a Devine single that was set up by a Conley triple to lead-off the inning. The Thunder then added two runs in the second thanks to a run-scoring double by Conley which was followed by a RBI-single by Devine in the next at-bat that made it a 3-0 game.
Trine continued to pull away in the third with four runs starting with Steffanelli who hit a two-run single with runners on second and third base. The other runs scored on a Weis single and then a sacrifice fly by Devine that increased the margin to 7-0.
Both teams traded runs in the fourth inning with Trine scoring its run thanks to a Nikirk single that scored junior Brenden Warner (Richland, Mich./Hackett Catholic Prep) from third base. Olivet (5-17, 3-9 MIAA) got another run in the top of the fifth frame on a bases loaded walk, but could not could not gain any more ground after that. Trine answered in its half of the fifth with two runs that were the result of a double by Mitchell and made the score 10-2.
The final runs of the day came in the Trine sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Conley and then another RBI-hit by Mitchell. Warner then hit a single in Trine's next at-bat to add another score and then junior Gary DeMartino (Beavercreek, Ohio/Owens C.C.) hit a double two batters later after the Warner single to plate the Thunder's final run of the game which led to a 14-2 final.
Trine totaled 16 hits in game two and had several players finish with multiple hits. Conley finished a perfect three-of-three to go along with three runs scored and two RBI. Devine, Nikirk and Fiorucci all had two hits in three at-bats. Devine also added a run scored and three RBI, while Nikirk scored a pair of runs and a RBI and Fiorucci scored three times. Mitchell and Warner both had two hits in four plate appearances with Mitchell also scoring a run and three RBI with Warner adding two runs scored and a RBI.
Senior Drew Bradford (Huntington, Ind./Whitko) was one of four pitchers to see action in the second game and earned the win after pitching four innings and gave up two runs on four hits and had two strikeouts.
Trine will begin a four-game series against Albion (Mich.) College starting on Saturday, Apr. 24 in Albion, Mich. The doubleheader is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
