HOLLAND, Mich. – The Hope College Flying Dutch took game one of the three-game series with the Trine University baseball team by a score of 11-2 on Thursday. The loss drops the Thunder to 14-23 overall and 5-14 in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play while the Flying Dutch look to secure a spot in the MIAA Tournament with a 19-17 record overall and 11-8 inside the conference.
Trine was quick to get on the scoreboard in the top half of the second inning when Daniel Rumberger drove in a pair of runs on a single to right field. Avery Fulford and Tyler Robinson reached base in front of him with a pair of singles as well as a stolen base by Robinson.
The lead would be temporary for the team as Hope answered with one run in the third and added four more in the third. The Thunder had no answer for the Flying Dutch as they would go on to score 11 unanswered runs in the game.
Matt Weis was able to lead off both the third and eighth innings by drawing a walk, but the runner was left on third in both frames. In the eighth, Trine would load the bases via the Weis walk, a single by Cory Erbskorn and a walk by Brody Bond but all three would be left on base when the inning came to an end.
Rumberger was the only man with multiple hits at 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Weis was able to reach base three times in the game after walking twice and adding a base hit. Erbskorn recorded a walk and hit as well.
On the mound, Cam Nagel (3-7) struck out two and was the only man to not allow a walk in his 3.1 innings of work. Joseph Closson tossed two scoreless innings and fanned a team-high three batters out of the bullpen.
Senior Day will take place in the team's final home doubleheader of the season on Friday, May 5. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and festivities will be between games.