LOUISVILLE, KY.-- The Trine softball team is once again ranked fifth in the nation in the latest Top 25 Poll, which was released Wednesday.
The Thunder come in at fifth for the third-consecutive week. They received votes totaling 168 points, up eight points from each of the last two weeks. The Thunder have ridden a school-record 23-game winning-streak to a 24-1 overall record, with an 8-0 mark in MIAA contests. Last weekend, Trine went on the road to sweep conference-rival Alma and swept Adrian in a home doubleheader on Senior Day. The NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll is selected by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions. Votes reflect games played through Monday.
Carly Searles (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) is closing in on the school's all-time hits record. With 185 career hits, the junior needs eight to pass older sister Andi Gasco (2010-13) for first in school-history. Searles leads the MIAA in runs, hits, triples, steals, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Kaitlyn Clark (Mount Juliet, Tenn./Wilson Central) has a 15-game hitting-streak. The sophomore leads the MIAA with nine home runs and 35 RBI's. She is tied with Searles for the conference lead in extra-base hits.
Pitching duo Bree Fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton) and Justin Robles (Long Beach, Calif./Lake Wood) have combined to allow just four earned runs (six total) in eight conference games. Fuller has won her last 13 decisions and leads the conference in strikeouts and strikeouts per seven innings. Robles has allowed an earned run or less in her last three starts.
Trine will host Hope this afternoon in an important MIAA-doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m. The Flying Dutchment sit right behind the Thunder in second-place in the MIAA with a 7-1 in conference mark. Trine carries a streak of 38-consecutive conference victories into the games.