OLIVET, Mich. – The Trine University baseball team fell in game one of a three-game set against The University of Olivet on Friday afternoon by a score of 4-2. The Thunder are 10-26 overall and 2-17 inside the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) while the Comets improve to 10-26 as well but are 4-15 in league play.
A Luke Burford single to lead off the game was the only positive in the first inning as Olivet went on to score three runs in the bottom half of the frame. Nathan Gilmet would do the same to start the second, but he was retired while trying to steal second.
Daniel Rumberger was able to prevent a run for the starter Reid Courtwright (1-1) with an outfield assist in the bottom of the third, but Owen Mitchell was called upon to get out of the inning with a groundball out right back to him.
Joel Walton added a double in the fourth, but it was Burford who plated the team's first run in Easton Rhodes with an RBI single to left to cut into the Comet lead 3-1.
Olivet would answer with a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth, but overall, it was an effective relief appearance from the freshman Mitchell, going 4.1 innings with a stat line of three hits, one run, zero walks and two strikeouts. Cole Decker worked around a leadoff walk but kept the deficit at three with a scoreless eighth.
Cole Temple smacked a double to center field that allowed pinch hitter Justin Hamberg to enter the game and drive him in with a single to the same field. That made the score 4-2, but at game's end the Comets would sneak away with the 4-2 victory.
The duo of Burford and Temple each had multiple hits for the Thunder and Temple reached in three of his four plate appearances after drawing a walk as well.
The season concludes at home with a doubleheader against Olivet on Sunday, May 5 beginning at 1 p.m. The team's 2024 senior class will be celebrated between games.