UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OHIO-- The 5th-ranked Trine softball team took game one, but John Caroll rallied to win game two and halt the Thunder winning-streak at 30 games in non-conference action Monday afternoon at Bracken Field.
The Thunder got another dominating pitching performance from Bree Fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton) in game one, but the Blue Streaks were able to take advantage of some Thunder defensive miscues in a 7-4 victory in game two. The loss ends Trine's school-record win-streak at 30 games, eclipsing the old school-record set in 2013 by 10 games. The Thunder won games in 10 different locations over the course of their winning-streak, which included 13 neutral-site wins, nine road wins, and eight home victories. Kaitlyn Clark (Mount Juliet, Tenn./Wilson Central) homered twice for the Thunder. Ashley Unrue homered and drove in two runs to lead John Carroll. The split runs Trine's overall record to 31-2. John Carroll is 16-16 overall.
Game One: Trine 3, John Carroll 1
Fuller continued her run of dominant pitching, and the Thunder bats produced a run in each of the first three innings to back the strong pitching performance.
Clark got Trine on the board in the top of the first, launching a solo homer to deep center field. The sophomore also doubled for a two-hit effort in game one.
The Thunder tacked on another run in the top of the second when Jamie Schnarr (Kettering, Ohio/Kettering) came in to score on an error. An RBI-single by Leah Hall (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) in the top of the third closed out the scoring for TU. Hall had two hits in the game.
Those runs proved more than enough for Fuller, who went the distance again to win her 17th-straight decision. The junior surrendered an earned run on two hits, walked three and struck out 14. Her 174 strikeouts this season are the third-highest total in a season in Trine history.
A solo homer by Morgan Robinson in the bottom of the fifth accounted for the lone run of the game for the Blue Streaks.
Game Two: John Carroll 7, Trine 4
The opportunistic Blue Streaks took advantage of extra chances as they scored four unearned runs to earn the victory and halt Trine's winning-streak.
Kendra Marshall (Leesburg, Ind./Warsaw) got the Thunder on the board first with an RBI-single in the top of the first. The Blue Streaks answered in the bottom of the inning on an Alyssa Coleman RBI-double.
Clark hit her second solo home run of the day in the top of the third to put Trine up 2-1. The homer was Clark's 12th of the season, which is the fourth-highest total in a season in school-history.
The Blue Streaks tied it up in the bottom of fourth when Carly Simecek scored on an error. JC took the lead one batter later when Unrue homered to left to make it 4-2.
John Carroll tacked on three important insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth. An RBI-single by Coleman made the score 5-2. Angelica Locey added an RBI-single, with a second run coming in to score on the play due to an error.
The Thunder tried to rally back in the sixth as they loaded the bases with one out. Catherine Porter (Canton, Mich./Plymouth Canton) drew a walk to force in a run and Schnarr added a sacrifice fly, but that was all the Thunder would get.
Brianna Lach picked up the victory for JC, allowing four earned on six hits, walking five and striking out one over five-plus innings. Rachel Byrnes earned the save.
Trine wraps up the regular-season this Wednesday, Apr. 23 when they travel to St. Mary's. A win in game one would give the Thunder 45 straight conference wins, which would be a new MIAA-record. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.