ANGOLA, Ind. - The No. 2 ranked Trine University softball team defeated Adrian 13-8 to win their fifth MIAA Conference Tournament title in the last seven years. After two prior unsuccessful attempts at winning the MIAA Conference Tournament at home, the Thunder earned the MIAA automatic qualifier bid for the NCAA Regional Tournament which will begin May 9 on Trine’s own field.
Trine (36-3) fell behind early as Adrian scored a run in the top of the first after they defeated Alma 2-1 in 17 innings to advance to the championship game.
The Thunder would answer back in the bottom of the inning with a two-out solo home run by sophomore Amy Newell (Three Rivers, Mich./Three Rivers). Trine would then add a run in the second on a double by sophomore Rachel Harris (Uniontown, Ohio/Hoover).
In the third, Trine would break the game open scoring seven runs in the inning. The Thunder would get things started with an RBI single by senior Andi Gasco (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) and a one-out RBI groundout by sophomore Leah Hall (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central). Rachel Harris would add an RBI single and after an Adrian error loaded the bases, sophomore Carly Searles (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) singled to left to plate two runs. Freshman Kaitlyn Clark (Mount Juliet, Tenn./Wilson Central) would then added a two-run single to left of her own and gave the Thunder a 9-1 lead.
The Bulldogs still had some fight left in them as they plated three runs in the fourth on just one hit but were aided by two Trine errors.
Gasco, who entered the week third in Division III in homers, would smack her 17th of the season on the first pitch she saw to start the bottom of the fourth inning.
Adrian would add three more runs in the fifth on a two-out, three-run home run.
In the bottom half of the inning, Clark would again plate a run on an RBI double to left. One out later it would again be Gasco hitting her second long ball of the game, a two-run shot to left.
Adrian plated a run in the top of the seventh, but it wasn’t enough as Gasco closed out the game to give the Thunder the win and the tournament trophy.
Sophomore Bree Fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton) earned the victory on the mound for the Thunder, her 14th of the season. Fuller went five innings, allowing seven runs (four earned) on six hits while striking out three. Gasco came on for the final two innings and allowed an unearned run on three hits and struck out three Adrian batters.
Five different Trine batters collected multiple hits in the game led by Gasco who went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs. Clark, Searles, Newell and Rachel Harris each added a pair of hits. Searles, Clark and Newell all scored twice while Clark drove in three runs and Searles drove in two. Rachel Harris also drove in two runs while Belote scored twice.
The two teams combined for 21 runs in the final game, while the other five MIAA tournament games combined for just 15 runs.
Trine becomes the first team in the MIAA to win both the regular season and tournament titles in the same season since Hope accomplished it back in 2006.
Trine will now await the NCAA Selection Show announcement on May 6 at 10:00 a.m. to see who they will play in the first game of the NCAA Angola Regional on May 9. The Thunder will host the 5-day tournament for the first time in school history where the winner advances to the national tournament to be held in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The selection show can be seen at the following link: http://www.ncaa.com/liveschedule