GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – In a rescheduled single game at Calvin University, the Trine University baseball team came out on top to claim the three-game series against the Knights 8-7 on Monday afternoon. The win puts Trine at 10-18 on the season and 2-9 inside the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) while Calvin falls to 14-15 and 5-6 in league play.
The Knights started the game strong with a two run first inning and they would add three more in the second to make it 5-0. Over the next two innings, the Thunder would draw back to even. Cole Schmidthuber and Tyler Beyke singled to start the third and a two-run single off the bat of Joel Walton later in the frame capped a three-run inning for Trine. An RBI single from Beyke and run-scoring double by Luke Burford made it a new ballgame at 5-5.
A run came across to score for Calvin in the bottom of the fourth to retake the lead and a solo homerun extended their lead to 7-5 in the bottom of the sixth, but once again the Thunder would not be denied and this time were able to put themselves in front.
Daniel Rumberger led off the seventh with a walk and Walton put both of them in scoring position with a double down the left field line. Nathan Gilmet delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to one at 7-6 and the top of the seventh would complete the rally for the visitors.
Beyke continued his hot streak in the game and was hit by a pitch to become what would be the tying run. Burford moved him to second with a hit and Rumberger kept the line moving with an RBI single to right center field. A wild pitch would score Burford during the next at-bat to give Trine the lead, 8-7.
Calvin put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, but the team's closer Noah Brettin was able to sneak out of the eighth with the lead intact. Brettin worked around a hit by pitch in the ninth, but secured the victory with a scoreless frame.
It was a platoon of pitchers for the Thunder with Jack Villarreal getting the win (2-0) and tossing a team-high 2.1 innings. He struck out four and set the table for the reliver Brettin to pick up his fourth save of the season. The two allowed just one hit over the final four innings of work to lock down the series. At the plate, Burford, Walton and Beyke each had multiple hits. Beyke came around to score three times in a 2-for-3 day with an RBI. Walton and Rumberger each had two runs batted in.
Trine looks to extend their win streak on Tuesday, April 16 at home against the Adrian College Bulldogs. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. at Jannen Field.