ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University baseball team fell by a final score of 8-4 in game one of a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association series against Hope (Mich.) College at Jannen Field in Angola, Ind. The second game of the doubleheader was postponed due to a rain delay in today's game.
Trine (6-24, 6-15 MIAA) got off to a quick start by scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning on a ground out with a runner on third base for an early 1-0 lead. The Thunder then added another run in the second thanks to a RBI-single by sophomore Matt Weis (Trenton, Ill./Triad) to make it a 2-0 game.
Hope (20-13, 12-8 MIAA) took the lead in the top of the fourth with five runs before play was suspended due to rain and poor field conditions. After about an hour-and-a-half delay and play resumed, the Flying Dutchmen tacked on an additional run before the inning came to a close to lead, 6-2.
In the top of the seventh, Hope scored two additional runs on a double and a sacrifice fly which increased the margin to 8-2. In Trine's half of the inning, sophomore Adam Stefanelli (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville North) led off with a single. Two batters later, senior Joe Fiorucci (St. Joseph, Mich./St. Joseph) singled through the left side to put two runners on base and only one out on the board. Following a Hope pitching change, senior Jake Conley (Moline, Ill./Black Hawk CC) connected on a double that allowed Stefanelli to score and advanced Fiorucci to third base. Junior Gary DeMartino (Beavercreek, Ohio/Owens C.C.) then came on in a pinch-hit situation and scored Fiorucci on a groundout to get the Thunder to within four runs, 8-4. The final out of the game was recorded in Trine's next at-bat, however, ending the contest and gave Hope the 8-4 victory.
The Trine bats totaled six hits, led by Conley and Stefanelli who both finished two-of-three overall. Conley also added a run scored and RBI, while Stefanelli scored a run. Fiorucci and Weis recorded the other two hits with Fiorucci going one-of-three in addition to the run scored and Weis also finished one-of-three to go along with a RBI.
Senior Conner Dove (St. Joe, ind./Eastside) started at pitcher and went three-and-a-third innings allowing six runs, four earned, on five hits with three strikeouts. Senior Kyle Robinson (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) replaced Dove and pitched two and two-third innings of relief giving up no runs or hits and struck out two batters. Junior Bryce Bloode (New Carlisle, Ind./New Prairie) pitched the final inning giving up two runs and two hits.
The rainout game from today's doubleheader has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 8 at 4 p.m. at Jannen Field.
The Thunder and Dutch will meet again tomorrow (Friday, May 7) with the second MIAA doubleheader of the series that will be played at Boeve Baseball Stadium in Holland, Mich. at 2 p.m.