ALBION, Mich. – Trine University and Albion College split their Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) baseball doubleheader on Saturday with the Britons (14-21, 7-10 MIAA) winning the first game by a score of 8-4 and the Thunder (13-20, 8-9 MIAA) taking game two 3-1 in 10 innings.
GAME ONE RECAP:
The Britons took the opening game of the day behind a quick start and that forced head coach Greg Perschke to utilize the bullpen right from the jump. Albion plated two runs in each of the first three innings to claim a 6-0 edge through the first third of the contest. Starter Kade Keele [Fort Wayne, Ind. / New Haven] surrendered four runs, with two coming across in the first and two more in the second before Trine recorded an out. Hunter Niksch [Lowell, Ind. / Andrean] was called upon to eat up a chunk of innings in the bottom of the second.
Facing a 6-0 deficit, the Thunder strung four hits together in the top of the fourth to get on the board. Matthew Martin [Eureka, Ill. / Eureka] and Brenden Warner [Richland, Mich. / Hackett Catholic Prep] led off the inning with a pair of singles, then Matt Weis [Trenton, Ill. / Triad] loaded the bases with a one out base knock. Gary DeMartino [Beavercreek, Ohio / Owens C.C.] drove in Martin with an RBI single to left.
A messy top of the sixth for the Briton defense allowed Trine to get closer with a three-run inning. After Warner and Dalton Nikirk [Bedford, Ind. / Bedford North Lawrence] provided traffic on the basepaths, and a pair of errors allowed two runs to score. Avery Fulford [Conifer, Colo. / Conifer] was the beneficiary of an RBI via a groundball fielder's choice to make it 6-4 Albion.
Between the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, Niksch allowed just one baserunner on a single. He was relieved by left-hander Cole Decker [Leonidas, Mich. / Mendon / Glen Oaks] in the bottom of the seventh following an RBI single by the Britons. Decker retired the final two hitters of the inning on strikes to keep the team in striking distance, 7-4.
Tyler Drope [Marysville, Ohio / Marysville] dropped a bunt single in the eighth as a pinch hitter, but with two outs, the Thunder were unable to bring him around. The bottom half of the inning saw Albion put up one more insurance run and Trine went down 1-2-3 in the ninth to fall 8-4 in the opening game of the series.
The two and three hitters of Martin and Warner had two hits apiece while DeMartino and Fulford each had doubles, the only hits for extra bases out of the nine recorded by the visitors. On the mound, Keele received the loss (2-4).
GAME TWO RECAP:
The second game of the afternoon was a pitcher's duel throughout as both team's offenses struggled to create runs. Josh Hoogewerf [Crown Point, Ind. / Crown Point] went 1-2-3 in the first and worked around two hits in the second to keep a zero on the board.
Quin Fauquher [Muncie, Ind. / Yorktown] was hit by a pitch to start the third was pushed all the way to third base, but a key double play for the Albion defense left him stranded. The fifth inning is when Trine was finally able to break the scoring drought. DeMartino singled to lead off the inning and went station-to-station to score on a bases loaded walk by Tyler Robinson [Schaumburg, Ill. / Schaumburg].
As the right-hander Hoogewerf got later into his outing, he continued to look sharp on the rubber. The Britons got a man 90-feet from home in the sixth, but a clutch strikeout and routine flyball to right ended the threat. An outfield error resulted in a run scoring in the seventh to tie the game and prevent Hoogewerf from leaving the game in line for the win. Jeff Ballard [Munster, Ind. / Munster] entered the game with two away and induced an inning-ending flyball to centerfield to keep the game knotted up at 1.
Noah Brettin [Rolling Prairie, Ind. / New Prairie] relieved Ballard in the eighth and escaped a bases loaded jam to keep the game tied. The Thunder went down in order to start the ninth and Brettin allowed only a two-out single to send it to extras.
Two men reached to start the tenth for Trine as Fauquher singled and pinch hitter Jacob Medvescek [Zionsville, Ind. / Zionsville] drew a walk. From there, Martin drove in the go-ahead run with a single to left. Nikirk followed that up with a two-out RBI as well. Brettin was called upon to keep the 3-1 lead safe, and did so with a strikeout and two flyouts.
Martin had two of the team's seven hits and drove in the game-winning run. Brettin received the win (3-1) after three complete shutout innings with two hits, two walks and two strikeouts.
The rubber match will take place on Sunday, May 1 on Jannen Field beginning at 1 pm.