SOUTH BEND, IND.-- Bree Fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton) threw a perfect game to lead Trine to a record-setting sweep of St. Mary's in MIAA-action Wednesday afternoon at SMC Softball Field.
Fuller threw the first perfect game in school-history in six-innings to lead the Thunder to breaking the MIAA-record for consecutive conference wins in a 10-0 victory in game one. Trine followed that up with a 7-3 victory in game two. The perfect game for Fuller comes on the heels of a no-hitter against Calvin in her last conference start. The junior has allowed just two baserunners over her last two conference starts, allowing no hits and striking out 22 in 13 innings pitched in what is certainly the most dominant stretch of pitching in school-history. The Thunder extended their MIAA winning-streak to 46 games, breaking the previous record held by Alma and set beetween 1997-2000. Trine concludes the regular-season 33-2 overall and a perfect 16-0 in the conference. St. Mary's 15-15 overall and 5-9 in the MIAA.
Game One: Trine 10, St. Mary's 0 (6)
Fuller's perfect game was the story, while the Thunder bats pounded out 11 hits to get the run-rule victory.
Fuller struck out eight batters on her way to the perfecto. She needed just 87 pitches to get through the Belles' order unscathed twice. The shutout gives the junior six on the season, which ties the school-record of shutouts in a season set by Andi Gasco in 2010. Fuller now has 182 strikeouts on the season, the second-highest total in school-history. She also moved into third in Trine history with 41 wins.
Catherine Porter (Canton, Mich./Plymouth Canton) had two hits and drove in two runs for the Thunder. Leah Hall (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) added three hits and drove in a pair of runs.
Rachel Harris (Uniontown, Ohio/Hoover) continued her recent power surge with her sixth homer of the season. She drove in two runs in game one.
Kendra Marshall (Leesburg, Ind./Warsaw) added two hits and an RBI for Trine.
Game Two: Trine 7, St. Mary's 3
The Thunder scored early and often and held on late to close the regular-season victorious.
Trine score five runs in the first three innings. Harris homered again in game two to give the junior four homers in her last eight games. She has hit seven bombs on the season.
Kaitlyn Clark (Mount Juliet, Tenn./Wilson Central) and Porter also homered in the game for the Thunder. Clark's was her MIAA-leading 13th of the season, which ranks among the nation's leaders. The sophomore has three homers in her last four games. Porter's round-tripper was her third of the season.
Justine Robles (Long Beach, Calif./Lake Wood) pitched 5.2 innings, allowing three earned runs to get the win. Fuller came out of the bullpen to earn her third save of the season.
Callie Sellner, Caitlyn Migawa and Kayla Chapman each drove in runs for the Belles.
Trine will host the MIAA Tournament, which begins next Thursday, May 1 at 11:00 a.m. The Thunder are slated to open play at 1:00 p.m. with a game against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.